Pacific Peoples and the Underclass of Aotearoa New Zealand: Repositioning the Narrative

In 2018, over 380,000 people in Aotearoa New Zealand identified with at least one Pacific ethnicity. Despite being a youthful and growing community, Pacific peoples are statistically entrenched in a cycle of disadvantage that cannot be ignored.

In almost every measure—health, education, income, home ownership, and justice—Pacific people are overrepresented in poor outcomes.

We are not just facing a Pacific problem; we are looking at the face of New Zealand’s underclass—systemic, intergenerational, and largely invisible in mainstream policy conversations. Despite progress for some groups, the Pacific population remains on the wrong side of the statistical ledger.

Pacific peoples experience:
• The highest rates of avoidable hospitalisations and chronic conditions.
• Worst material deprivation across nearly every indicator.
• Persistently low home ownership rates.
• A widening education achievement gap, often masked by ethnic averages.
• Underrepresentation in decision-making, leadership, and governance roles.

While initiatives for Māori advancement are critical and must continue, Pacific peoples require their own distinct policy lens. A “one-size-fits-all” approach under a pan-ethnic umbrella risks making the Pacific experience invisible.