The latest Household Labour Force Survey figures show unemployment has risen. yes we know about the global recession and financial stack of cards but what has happened to the initiatives to generate meaningful employment options for people. Cycleway? job summits? This government blames the unemployed for being unemployed and they are going to let the 'market' sort it out and that will put many more people into that status - that is how their system works. It is based on inequality.
No Right Turn
The Household Labour Force Survey is out, and it shows that unemployment has spiked again to 6.8%. 158,000 people are now out of work - an increase of 53,000 since National took office. In addition, an extra 92,000 have given up and left the labour force, while we have an extra 31,000 long-term unemployed.
I latest breakdown of the figures show that
The figures showed the rate of unemployment for those aged 15-19 was more than 25 percent, that Maori unemployment was 15.5 percent and Pacific Islanders unemployment was 13.5 percent.
Have no illusions - things are going to get a lot worse with the gnats in for another 3 years. Lew at Kiwipolitico tells it like it is and it is very scary. Labour are toast. The Greens are struggling with cutthrough but at least provide some opposition. The maori party have different priorities. What to do?
Communities and people together is the only answer. We may or may not be able to stop or slow them down (we will try though) but we must strengthen our connections and bonds. Every storm passes and when it does, the destruction becomes apparent. The tears can flow and then we rebuild together, as communities.
Remember the dawn raids?
From Stuff
Dawn raids, which began under the Muldoon government in 1974, were a controversial campaign to arrest and deport any Pacific Island overstayers. Many had been encouraged to come to New Zealand to fill a labour shortage in the 1960s, but when the economy tightened in the 1970s there was a clampdown on overstayers. Police launched a campaign of dawn raids on Pacific Island households around the country and Pacific Islanders were routinely stopped on the streets on the suspicion that they might be overstayers.
During that time pasifica people were hidden from authorities.
Porirua city councillor Litea Ah Hoi says "It just reminds me of the dawn raid days when my dad hid Samoan overstayers in the bedroom closet."
The same hiding of people is occuring today.
Fefiloi Ana, 36, an overstayer who was ordered to leave the country by today or be forcibly removed, has gone into hiding with her children, Ranford, 12, Mine, 11, and Misipeka, 7. The children, whose father died in a motorbike accident in 2004, were born in New Zealand and are entitled to stay as New Zealand citizens.
Why is this happening?
Earlier this year she was ordered to leave after the immigration Removal Review Authority declined to make an exception on humanitarian grounds. Associate Immigration Minister Kate Wilkinson declined to intervene, and now Children's Commissioner John Angus cannot investigate due to the lack of time.
With the current focus on building strong families, the deportation did not make sense, Ms Kim Barnden, a youth worker and Mine's basketball coach at Avalon Intermediate said. "Mrs Ana is very kind and the kids adore her. Breaking up any family is unhealthy and I don't think the welfare of the kids has been taken into consideration. They've lost their dad, what else do we want to put them through?"
Those are fair questions and this persecution is totally unjust and must be stopped. Our pasifica cousins are welcome here - they are family and this practice of deportation and breaking up of families is unacceptable in any society. The family are hiding - they are scared and traumatised and we must support them.
The dawn raids were a blight on this country and the fear generated played into the authorities hands. They created distrust and set people against each other - based on ethnic origin and skin colour and today the same thing is happening.
I dunno about you, but the term "dumb arse coconut" does seem like an insult rather than pacifika humour to me - but if a pacifika person says it about another pasifika person - what then? I don't think I'd like "dumb arse hori" for instance. It is worth watching the video to see that the easiest way to go is to just say, "Yes, that was wrong, I made a mistake, I am sorry and I apologise to everyone offended by my poor comment."
Go here to watch the video on TV3.
Hat tip -
Kiwiblog
Biased reporting doesn't help anyone.
From scoop
Jacqualene Poutu, Tumuaki of Te Mana Akonga ( the national Māori tertiary students association) is disappointed with
"A sample of three students were interviewed on TVNZ’s Close up programme last Tuesday evening regarding their use of student loan money for investments, instead of using it to survive with."
she rightly says
“The living costs component of student loans may be used as’ play money’ for wealthier students, but unfortunately that is not the reality for the rest of us,”
“The stereotype of the ‘spoilt student’ is few and far between for Māori students. Access to ‘living costs’ are absolutely necessary for many Māori students. Research shows that Māori and Pasifika students are more likely to borrow from the student loan scheme in order to access tertiary education and bridge themselves and whanau out of poverty,”
It is a massive challenge for anyone to got to university and undertake futher skill or vocational training. If we make it too hard by reducing student allowances the students at the bottom with little money will suffer and perhaps drop out. Many maori and pasifika students are represented within that group.
media reporting that is slanted is never good, close up has got worse and worse but people still watch it and i hope they offer more balanced views in the future. I am getting really fed up with the beneficary bashing and the youth bashing from this government. Picking on the most vulnerable is not on.
