How well are different communities faring in New Zealand? That’s the question that the recent Families and Whanau Status Report asked about the many different ethnic communities that make up New Zealand, which was released last week.
Kiwis’ experiences differ across regions, age groups and family sizes, but one thing that stood out for me was the challenges that Asian individuals and families are facing.
Thirty-two per cent of Asian families say they can't easily express their identity. On reflection, this is not surprising given that in 2012 nearly one in five Asian New Zealanders had recently experienced racism—in the workplace, on the street, or in their community,
Everyone should feel that their identity is valued and celebrated, no matter their background. We should be supporting the many wonderful community groups who promote different identities, cultures and religions in New Zealand by increasing the funding available to them.
Another glaring issue in the report is the 53% of Asian families who feel dissatisfied with their working hours and pay and the 19% who say they have experienced unfair discrimination in the past year.
One reason that some Asian families are feeling more vulnerable is that people who have recently arrived in New Zealand are more at risk from exploitation in the workplace.
We have seen too many stories this year about migrants and young people being underpaid, made to work excessive hours, and being refused their basic rights.
The government needs to step up to make sure that there is better enforcement of labour laws and that people are being treated fairly.
Of course, what has made the situation worse for some people is the National government’s 90-day trial experiment, which allows anyone to be fired in their first 90 days at a new job, no questions asked. The idea was that employers would take a chance on someone new who they might not have otherwise hired.
Independent research by MOTU, paid for by the taxpayer, shows that this policy hasn’t worked. Instead, it’s made it easier for businesses to fire people unfairly and not be held accountable.
But the government refused to revisit the plan, despite it not doing what it was intended to.
This inaction is another symptom of National’s refusal to do anything than the bare minimum on crucial issues facing New Zealanders.
The Superu report also told us that a massive 58% of Asian families are paying for unaffordable housing. It’s outrageous that so many people will struggle to save enough money for their children or their retirement because they are spending far too much on accommodation.
The Green Party has a better plan for housing that will help more New Zealanders to have affordable, safe and warm houses for themselves and their families.
It’s a fundamental part of Kiwi values that people who work hard should be able to afford their own home, and we want to make sure that this is a reality for current and future generations.