Transcript
GERRY BROWNLEE: We don't know exactly what sectors we are going to expand to just yet but you can speculate a little bit I think that we would be looking at construction which is a big need for New Zealand at the moment we know that in the off season tourism would be a useful area to look at, I am talking about the off season for the Pacific Islands would be the shoulder and main season for New Zealand, so possible something in that. A number of the Pacific Islands countries have work forces that are very adept at servicing those particular roles. So we may also look at some of the service type industries as well.
KOROI HAWKINS: And this money is to go towards that sort of research and study is it?
GB: Yes there are costs that have to be met you know even inside the islands themselves for getting the RSE people all together and to go through the process for selection and everything else. It just means that the scheme itself is funded with a little bit of extra cash for another four years.
KH: And how soon will this actually translate to Pacific workers in different sectors in New Zealand?
GB: That is yet to be determined but we would hope fairly quickly and one of the things that would be necessary is for the sectors who are approached to identify what their needs are to make sure that you do get some good matches. What has become clear over the 10 years of the program operating is that the skills that Pacific Islanders can pick up out of this are as important as the work that we get done by them. So if we can have a scheme that enables people to come to New Zealand and gain an additional qualification or an extension of their qualifications then that is a valuable thing as well.
KH: [The scheme is] quite far along now there has been a few issues especially this year with this scheme is it sort of time for a review or has there been a review of where it is at and is it still very successful as you have mentioned?
GB: Look I think the successes of the scheme out-weigh any of the negatives. When you talk to the employers they are very, very happy to see the same people who have accumulated skills over a number of years returning each year to their workforce they get to know them very well and they do consider them to be part of their community which is a good thing. You know the incidents you talk of, where ever you get any group of people together you are always going to get one or two who behave badly in a circumstance but you don't see the whole program condemned on the basis of that.
KH: Is this also, like increasing the kind of money that Pacific Islanders can have access to, better jobs, higher paying jobs, is this also a sign that some of them having been here for a while are sort of used to being paid the minimum wage and are probably looking for more?
GB: Well in New Zealand as you know the minimum wage has been rising steadily for all the time that we have been in government and that would continue if we are successfully elected after the 23rd of September. But in the end I think the skills that many of these people have will command a degree of premium on top of that and that is all good. But in a general sense I would not say that it is about paying higher wages particularly but if you think about the focus we are getting on that skill increase then that is a natural consequence.
KH: Just out of interest is there any opposition to it in New Zealand locally like jobs obviously going to people coming from overseas. Well if you were to look around I think you would find some people who were opposed to the scheme but the reality is there is a crying need for it and the other thing is you look at the case of the orchardist in Nelson prior to the scheme starting he was employing three people. Because he can get reliable and consistent seasonal labour through the RSE scheme he now employs 31 New Zealanders in full time positions and has massively increased the production of his orchards. He has been able to expand his business on the back of the steady labour supplies. So the upside to this scheme is far greater than anyone might see at first glance.
