- The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has released a quarterly snapshot on Māori employment / unemployment matters (for the period to the end of September). It shows falling rates of Māori engagement and participation in work (five thousand less tangata Māori employed than this time last year) and increases in Māori youth outside of employment or training (an increase 4,600 from last year).
- In our view the data indicates that the lower rates of Māori workforce participation now being reported by Statistics NZ are not from retirement, or leisure reasons – but rather driven by more negative patterns of increased unemployment and reduced youth engagement in employment (or study leading to work). This is concerning, and as per our advice in Pānui 35/2024, a significant employment shift presents as being underway right now, and in our view agencies like MBIE and Te Puni Kōkiri ought to be front footing this to urgently identify exactly what is occurring, given this is likely to be placing many Māori households at financial risk. Further details from this data report are included in our attached report summary.
Parliamentary and Related Matters:
- The prohibition of the displaying of gang insignia (patches and signs etc) came into effect at midnight on Tuesday. Three minutes later The Police charged a person with an offence under the act (a Mongrel Mob member in Hastings had a gang sign displayed within his car). The Police have proudly touted the apprehension as a success. (We are less sure charging someone for having a sign on their dashboard in the middle of the night is a good indicator of successful gang harm reduction.) Hence the earlier advice from Ministry of Justice officials that the law change will likely increase Māori offending rates (Pānui 12/2024 details).
- The Social Services and Community Select Committee has reported back on the bill which proposes repealing Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act (essentially the Te Tiriti section of the Act). We will provide a review on this report next week. Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill
