Pacific people's protest march in Auckland

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Pacific people's protest march in Auckland

3News NZ

Advance Pasifika march organisers, Reverend Uesifili Unasa and Efeso Collins (file pic)

Advance Pasifika march organisers, Reverend Uesifili Unasa and Efeso Collins (file pic)

The Council of Trade Unions is supporting a march in central Auckland today highlighting the plight of people from the Pacific in New Zealand.

People in the Pasifika community are angry at being taken for granted and want a better future, organiser Advance Pasifika says.

Housing, employment and education are among the issues being highlighted by the march.

CTU spokeswoman Natalie Faitala said union members were joining with church and community groups, students, and work groups on the march, which starts at Albert Park at 9am.

"We're joining the Advance Pasifika march to highlight the need for affordable housing, better educational outcomes, quality healthcare and decent jobs and a living wage for Pacific people in New Zealand," she said.

Uesifili Unasa, chairman of the Pasifika Peoples Advisory Council, said the march would give a focus to Pacific issues.

NZN

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Comments

18/06/2012 5:38:04 p.m.

Talaifo Lemalu wrote:

I support our pacific peoples stand for equal rights and fairer & better opportunities of working & living standards.

17/06/2012 11:21:33 a.m.

jan.. wrote:

The Pasifika people boosted the growth of New Zealand from the 60s onwards and that what kept New Zealand on its feet in return for housing and good education and healthcare, now its time to put those claims forward without marching down the street for what was already yours, claim your rights Pasifika and bond by those terms and conditions..

16/06/2012 9:59:23 p.m.

Calvin wrote:

4:50min He talks about the level of thinking in government... Its not just a level of thinking in government but a level of thinking with alot of Kiwis! I went through hell growing up in a west auckland schools, Im maori but am white and I would get bashed all the time from these mongrels. Always UNPROVOKED! I dont support your march. Sorry

16/06/2012 8:08:39 p.m.

COMEATMEBRO wrote:

"PointlessProtest DisturbedMyExamination" name these policies that you say that help pacifika and I will tell you why your incorrect. You say "Housing New Zealand scheme" that people are not utilising enough, yet to get into a house, is the same as waiting for a student allowance from Studylink, it takes forever and when it comes it isn't that great and doesnt support some people. Oh theres alot more to rubbish about your argument but I wont bother to I cant I probably cant afford to pay my electricity bill.

16/06/2012 6:30:33 p.m.

Mindless ignorant people disturb world progress! wrote:

Wow! You are very misinformed!! Pacific people work hard, they came here in the 60s and 70s at the request of the NZ government to do the work most people here at the time did not want. They worked for shit pay and in very bad conditions. Your ignorance and arrogance cripples your mind! Their labour boosted the NZ economy enabling it to meet overseas demand for NZ goods. When NZ lost the UK market, NZ factories had to let go off staff and it was the Pacific people they targeted first through the NZ Immigration Dawn Raid practice. There were way more illegal europeans (germans, etc) in NZ at that time and Pacific immigrants were just a drop in the bucket in comparison to the total number of over-stayers. Despite applying and working hard for extended visa's and residential permits - many were declined while other groups were granted residency! All Pacific families were targeted, even Maori, to leave NZ. The police were ordered by Immigration to remove Pacific people from their beds in front of their childres at 2am. Many were beaten and deported immediately, even those with permits! If you made an effort to ask and look a little harder, you will find that there are many well educated hard working Pacific people in NZ. The majority of Pacific people are NZ born and today, many of them dont look Pacific - they look like you now mate!! The Pacific people have contributed massively to this country, through sports, music, culture, business, etc. Research has shown that Pacific people, despite their efforts and requests, are more likely to get over-looked, are declined quality service and access over others. There is research everywhere about this. Hospitals, Education systems, etc have admitted to this when you dig a little deeper into their policies and processes. You need to do your homework before you judge the journey of others! Get to know the stories of these families, walk their road for a time and I promise you will find a new definition for the word 'disturbed'.

16/06/2012 5:37:34 p.m.

Andrea wrote:

Yes, we are all entitled to affordable housing, better education, better quality healthcare and good jobs. But there is no denying that in all these sectors, P.I people feature at the bottom of the rung; and this is why we are speaking up. An admissions scheme at ONE University in NZ doesn't make life easier for all Pasifika people in the country. And, the same admissions scheme is also available for students with disabilities; because the scheme is recognizing that there are students who are disadvantaged AND under-represented at the higher levels in University. It's not just about having 'Pasifika blood'. This said scheme also has requirements of its own that participants need to meet, both academic and cultural; so, no, not everyone with "Pasifika blood" will qualify anyway. The fact that there are systems already in place to support Pasifika people in some way, further highlights that there IS a need for them. But, these systems are failing. If we don't take action, there can be no change. Better to raise a little bit of awareness and make a few ripples, than to continue on living in the status quo in silence.

16/06/2012 3:32:04 p.m.

PointlessProtest DisturbedMyExamination wrote:

Aren't we all entitled to "affordable housing, better educational outcomes, quality healthcare and decent jobs and a living wage"? As New Zealanders aren’t we the ones being “taken for granted”? In a certain University in Auckland to study a specific course you need to meet a rank score. The rank score is determined by the academic performance of the student in high school and the better the performance, the higher the score of the student. This also acts as an indicator to whether the student can handle that specific course. Asians, Indians, Europeans and people from other backgrounds, people who are also New Zealanders will not even be considered into the course of their choice unless they exceed the specific rank score of that course. However a certain “admission scheme” means those with pacifika blood may join the course whether they meet the requirements or not. With that in mind you would think that you would see more pacifika students utilising this incredible opportunity. You would assume that bright pacifika students would be flooding this certain University in Auckland, but alas this is not the case. Only rarely will you see hard-working pacifika students around and about the university. All over the country there are systems in place which exclude all other New Zealanders, but make life much, much easier for the pacifika group. The many schemes already include aid in “Housing, employment and education", yet even these schemes are not being utilised enough. Welfare seems to be the only aid which is grasped tightly with both hands though this is entitled to all New Zealanders. When the country provides so many opportunities for a specific group and still receives no positive results, no utilisation, and still receives constant complaints and protests from that group, it is then time for that country to realise that they are the ones being “taken for granted”.