August 05, 2015
Auckland economy under-performing for Maori
The Auckland economy is under-performing for Maori – that's the inevitable conclusion to be drawn from information found in a just released report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.
The report commissioned by the Independent Maori Statutory Board found that while Maori make up 10-percent of the Super City's population Maori economic activity accounts for no more than 5 percent of the region's Gross Domestic Production.
A finding which the NZEIR says is smaller than expected.
They say the Maori economy in Auckland holds more than half the national Maori asset base and if Maori employment rates were raised to the same level as pakeha then Maori personal incomes would rise by 16 percent to $1 billion a year.
A particular concern was that 13,000 Maori aged between 15 and 19 are not in education, employment or training.
Council heads are meeting with central government agency representatives this afternoon to discuss the report.
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