Pacific mobility in New Zealand

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Diversity in the Pacific population

The Pacific grouping of ethnicities includes people of several distinct ethnicities. They have different migration histories and different characteristics, such as settlement patterns, age structures and rates of intermarriage. These affect mobility either directly or indirectly.

The three largest Pacific populations in New Zealand are people of Samoan, Tongan and Cook Island Maori ethnicities. In each case the majority were born in New Zealand: 60 percent for Samoan, 56 percent for Tongan and 73 percent for Cook Island Maori.

At the time of the 2006 Census, half of the the Tongan and Samoan people who were in New Zealand five years ago had moved. Cook Island Maori were slightly more mobile with 54 percent who were movers.

Table 3

People of Samoan, Tongan and Cook Island Maori ethnicities
By address five years ago
2006 Census
Samoan Tongan Cook Island
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
Number of people
Same as usual residence 23,469 25,308 48,777 8,691 9,147 17,838 9,969 10,875 20,841
Elsewhere in New Zealand 24,447 25,281 49,728 9,258 9,159 18,417 11,904 12,291 24,195
Not born 9,057 8,562 17,619 4,071 3,801 7,869 4,272 3,972 8,244
Overseas 4,542 4,659 9,201 2,115 2,304 4,149 1,065 1,047 2,112
No fixed abode or not stated 3,012 2,763 5,775 1,188 1,014 2,205 1,401 1,215 2,616
Total 64,530 66,573 131,103 25,323 25,155 50,478 28,608 29,403 58,011

 

Table 4

People of Samoan, Tongan and Cook Island Maori ethnicities
Non-movers and internal migrant movers by address five years ago
2006 Census
Samoan Tongan Cook Island
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
Percent non-movers and movers
Non-movers 49.0 50.0 49.5 48.4 50.0 49.2 45.6 46.9 46.3
Movers within New Zealand 51.0 50.0 50.5 51.6 50.0 50.8 54.4 53.1 53.7
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

 

The Niuean population in New Zealand is over 14 times the size of the population of Niue and 74 percent of the group were born in New Zealand. It is a highly integrated community with high levels of inter-ethnic partnering. Only 22 percent of couples in New Zealand with at least one person of Niuean ethnicity have both partners who are Niuean. Moreover, 60 percent of Niueans also identify with other ethnicities. Consequently, their mobility pattern is very similar to the national pattern and different from most other Pacific groups. While almost half of those in New Zealand five years ago had moved within New Zealand, just over half had not moved.

Conversely, Fijians are a more recent migrant community. Only 44 percent were born in New Zealand and 19 percent of the group were overseas five years ago. Fijians continue to be highly mobile with nearly 59 percent of those in New Zealand five years ago having moved.

Table 5

People of Niuean, Fijian and other Pacific ethnicities
By address five years ago
2006 Census
Niuean Fijian Other Pacific
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
Number of people
Same as usual residence 4,263 4,662 8,925 1,329 1,440 2,769 921 1,107 2,028
Elsewhere in New Zealand 4,257 4,410 8,664 1,902 2,034 3,936 1,353 1,812 3,165
Not born 1,599 1,611 3,210 531 552 1,080 570 558 1,128
Overseas 288 300 588 954 846 1,800 750 783 1,533
No fixed abode or not stated 564 522 1,089 138 138 276 120 141 261
Total 10,971 11,505 22,476 4,854 5,007 9,861 3,717 4,401 8,118

 

Table 6

People of Niuean, Fijian and other Pacific ethnicities
Non-movers and internal migrant movers by address five years ago
2006 Census
Niuean Fijian Other Pacific
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
Percent non-movers and movers
Non-movers 50.0 51.4 50.7 41.1 41.5 41.3 40.5 37.9

39.1

Movers within New Zealand 50.0 48.6 49.3 58.9 58.5 58.7 59.5 62.1 60.9
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

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