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Long-term Insights Briefing

Long-term Insights Briefing

Public service agencies are required to develop a Long-term Insights Briefing at least once every three years and they are intended to be ‘think pieces’ that look at least ten years into the future.

Briefings are not government policy and are independent of ministers. They are a statutory duty of departmental chief executives under the Public Service Act 2020.

Proposed topic for our 2025 Long-term Insights Briefing 

The proposed topic is Shared Futures: Understanding Māori-Pacific Identity in New Zealand

Census 2023 reflects our shifting population dynamics: more than 40% of Pacific peoples identify with more than one ethnicity, and 20% (1 in 5) of Pacific peoples identify as both Māori and Pacific. Within this shifting landscape Māori and Pacific communities are growing and becoming more interconnected.

In our first Long-term Insights Briefing published in 2022, we discovered limitations in the way government collects ethnicity data. For example, many New Zealanders who identify as both Māori and a Pacific ethnicity or ethnicities are currently only counted as Māori in some datasets. This underlines a challenge in understanding the needs and opportunities for people with multiple ethnicities, particularly in an increasingly diverse New Zealand.

As the future New Zealand population landscape evolves, it is crucial to identify, understand and support individuals with multicultural heritage. Doing so is essential to fostering inclusivity, promoting social cohesion, and ensuring equitable outcomes for New Zealand’s future generations.

Individuals with Māori-Pacific whakapapa navigate complex identities that can affect their social, cultural, and economic experiences. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of Māori and Pacific cultures, there is limited insight about specific issues faced by those with multicultural heritage. 

The Ministry’s chosen topic for our next Long-term insights briefing seeks to address this gap by investigating the experiences of Māori-Pacific individuals and the broader implications for community cohesion, support services, and future New Zealand society.

Have your say 

We are seeking feedback on the topic and scope of our briefing. Your feedback is crucial for shaping and improving this topic, enabling us to delve deeper into insights. 

In early 2025, there will be further opportunities to discuss and gather the critical issues and ideas on this topic that will influence New Zealand's future. 

Your contributions will directly inform a forward-thinking briefing for the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and be vital in guiding future advice and decisions.

You can download the consultation document:

Long-term Insights Briefing – Shared Futures: Understanding Māori-Pacific Identity in New Zealand topic consultation

Providing feedback

You can provide feedback by:

Consultation closes 5pm on Friday 6 December 2024.

Frequently asked questions

The Long-term Insights Briefings are a government initiative requiring government agencies to develop and share insights on the trends, risks and opportunities that could affect Aotearoa New Zealand. Long-term Insights Briefings aim to promote long-term thinking so that the public sector can respond to future change and deliver sustainable benefits for people in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Government agencies are required to publish a Long-term Insights Briefing at least once every three years. The purpose of the briefing is to share: 

  • information about medium and long-term trends, risks and opportunities that may affect Aotearoa New Zealand 
  • information and impartial analysis, including policy options for responding to these issues in future. 

The Long-term Insights Briefing is a way for the public to contribute meaningfully on issues that will be important in the medium to long-term future of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Learn more about Long-term Insights Briefings on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website

The proposed topic is Shared Futures: Understanding Māori-Pacific Identity in New Zealand.

Census 2023 reflects our shifting population dynamics, with 15% of the population identifying with more than one ethnicity (up from 11.4% in 2018). Within this shifting landscape Māori and Pacific communities are growing and becoming more interconnected.

As the future New Zealand population landscape evolves, it is crucial to identify, understand and support individuals with multicultural heritage. Doing so is essential to fostering inclusivity, promoting social cohesion, and ensuring equitable outcomes for New Zealand’s future generations.

Individuals with Māori-Pacific whakapapa navigate complex identities that can affect their social, cultural, and economic experiences. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of Māori and Pacific cultures, there is limited insight about specific issues faced by those with multicultural heritage. 

The Ministry’s chosen briefing topic seeks to address this gap by investigating the experiences of Māori-Pacific individuals and the broader implications for community cohesion, support services, and future New Zealand society.  

There are two phases of public consultation: 

  • Phase One is now Open. This first round of consultation is seeking feedback on the proposed topic. 

  • Phase Twowill be in 2025. The second round of consultation will seek your feedback on the draft briefing. 

You are not required to provide any personal information to complete this feedback process. 

Any information you do provide will be collected confidentially and we will only use the information to inform the development of the Long-term Insights Briefing – all participants will remain confidential in publication.

The Ministry adheres to the Aotearoa New Zealand Government-endorsed Data Protection and Use Policy to ensure data privacy and safety.

For any other questions about the Long-term Insights Briefing, please contact us at [email protected].

Thank you for your interest in providing feedback.