This module has provided a general overview of the state of play for Pasifika peoples in Australia. Some critical concepts to consider from this module is that:
The Pasifika population in Australia is young and rapidly growing.
For many years many New Zealand citizens working and residing in Australia were unable to access key social services despite paying tax for them.
For many years New Zealand citizens could not access the HECS-HELP student loan scheme for tertiary education courses.
From July 2023 New Zealand citizens have a direct pathway to Australian citizenship, which will affect access to key social services and student loan schemes.
Data sets are often weak, and Pasifika ethnicities are obscured by NZ citizenship.
Terms to describe people from Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia are still being contested.
Pasifika peoples are misrepresented across many concerning datasets (including justice, health and mental health). Both systemic and cultural factors are contributing to these statistics.
The key idea to remember is that if your work involves countering the negative statistics and working alongside Pasifika peoples to do so, a holistic and strengths-based approach must be adopted otherwise there is a high likelihood of failure to engage.
To close this module off, watch this video to see how Pasifika peoples’ experiences in the USA are strikingly similar to those in Australia, and then complete the assessment.
