Settling In Palmerston North and Feilding - Human Rights Commission

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Percent ofoverseas bornYears since arrival in New Zealand, 2006:All New Zealand, Palmerston North City and Feilding60All New Zealand50Palmerston North CityFeilding4030201000-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50 or moreSource: Census of Population and DwellingsYears since arrivalAge Structure• The age structure of the overseas-born population in Palmerston North and Feilding differs in several respects from nationally. In 2006, theproportion of overseas-born under the age of 15 was similar in all three areas (11% in Palmerston North and across the country, and 12% inFeilding). However, from age 15, there were marked differences.SETTLING IN PALMERSTON NORTH AND FEILDING• Not surprisingly, given Palmerston North’s importance as a centre for tertiary study, one in every eight of those born overseas was aged between20 and 24 years. This contributed to a very large 20% of overseas-born in the city being aged between 15 and 24 (compared with 14% nationallyand 8% in Feilding). This statistic is reflected in the total Palmerston North city youth population, with close to a fifth of all 15–24 year olds inPalmerston North being overseas-born. 12• While young adults were underrepresented in Feilding’s overseas-born population, the opposite was true at the other end of the age spectrum.Almost one-third of the overseas-born population (32%) was aged 60 or over (compared with proportions of 18% and 19% for Palmerston Northand New Zealand as a whole). So although Feilding does not have particularly high numbers of overseas-born residents, a large proportion ofthem are older than 60.Percent of overseasborn residents14121086420BirthplaceOverseas born by age group, 2006:All New Zealand, Palmerston North City and Feilding0-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85 andSource: Census of Population and DwellingsAge group (years)• Across New Zealand, the UK and Ireland just surpassed Asia as the country’s most common overseas birthplace (both accounting for 7% ofresidents). In Palmerston North, however, the reverse was true. Asia was the birthplace of around 4010 individuals, while the UK and Irelandprovided around 3700 (both 5% of the city’s residents). The Pacific Islands were the birthplace of 1125 Palmerston North residents (2%compared with 4% nationally).Birthplace of overseas-born residents, 2006:All New Zealand and Palmerston North CityAll New ZealandPalmerston North CityFeildingoverPercent of residents7All New Zealand6Palmerston North City54321140Asia UK and Ireland Pacific Islands Australia Europe (excl. UK andSource: Census of Population and DwellingsIreland)Birthplace1217% not including those students here for 12 months or less and others not captured by the census.North AmericaOther
Qualifications• Palmerston North’s overseas-born population is more highly qualified than the overseas-born across the country, with the opposite trueof Feilding (possibly because the overseas population is much older). In 2006, for Bachelor’s degrees and post-graduate qualifications,Palmerston North had 16% of its overseas-born in each category. Feilding was considerably lower, with 9% having Bachelor’s degrees andjust 5% having post-graduate qualifications. The equivalent ‘all NZ’ figures are: 15% of the country’s overseas-born had Bachelor’s degreesand 8% of overseas-born had post-graduate qualifications.Language• The 2006 census showed that the following languages were among those able to be spoken by around 1% of the Palmerston North population:French, Yue, Samoan, Northern Chinese and German. In Feilding, around 1% of residents was able to speak French but only small numbersof people reported being able to speak other minority languages.• In 2006, 82% of Palmerston North’s overseas-born Chinese people assessed themselves as ‘able to have a conversation in English about alot of everyday things’ – a higher proportion than the 77% across New Zealand – and 96% of the city’s overseas-born Indian population couldspeak English (also higher than the national proportion of 90%). 13Religion• Trends in religious affiliation in Palmerston North and Feilding are similar to those experienced nationally. In the 10 years between 1996 and2006, the majority of people affiliated with Christian religions but the proportion dropped between censuses. Conversely, the proportions givingthe next largest response (no religion) rose over that time. In general, the proportions affiliating to other religions also rose slightly over the 10years. In 2006, around 1% of Palmerston North’s population described themselves as Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim.• However, religious affiliation varied markedly by ethnic group. 14 In Palmerston North in 2006, the most numerous responses to the religionquestion by people who identified as Chinese were: no religion (61%), Christian (25%) and Buddhist (8%). In contrast, the majority of Indianpeople in the city, 54%, identified as Hindu, 21% as Christian and just 9% as having no religion. The situation was very different for Pacificpeoples, the large majority of whom were Christian. In Palmerston North, the 2006 census recorded that 75% of Samoan people, 59% of CookIslands Maori and 82% of Tongan people identified as Christian.Labour force status• Across New Zealand, overseas-born people aged 15 and over were less likely to be in the labour force in 2006 than New Zealand born (64%in the labour force compared with 71%). The same was true in both Palmerston North city and Feilding (66% and 61% respectively comparedwith 72% and 67% of New Zealand born in those locations).• In 2006, 45% of Palmerston North’s overseas-born were employed full time, 17% were employed part time and 4% were unemployed. InFeilding, 44% were employed full time, 15% were employed part time and just 2% were unemployed.• Across New Zealand in 2006, 40% of people born in Asia were not in the labour force. In Palmerston North and Feilding, the proportions were37% and 27% respectively. Of the people born in the Pacific Islands, 35% were not in the labour force (30% in Palmerston North and 27% ofthose in Feilding).Occupation• The overseas-born residents of Palmerston North city were much more likely than New Zealand born to be working in professional occupations(33% compared with 20% of New Zealand born). Smaller proportions of overseas-born than New Zealand born worked in all other types ofoccupation. In most cases, there was a 2–3 percentage point difference.• In 2006, professional occupations were the most common among Asian-born people (21% across New Zealand and a higher 28% inPalmerston North). However, people born in the Pacific Islands were most likely to be in labouring occupations (21% nationally and 22% inPalmerston North). Professional occupations were the second most common among Pacific Island born living in Palmerston North City (at19%, considerably higher than the national proportion of 13%).SETTLING IN PALMERSTON NORTH AND FEILDING13These figures may not necessarily indicate a complete lack of English. Ability to speak a language isself-assessed in the Census. The question asked about the ability to ‘have a conversation about a lotof everyday things’. Some people may have assessed their ability more harshly than others and somemay have forgotten to tick English when answering the question.14These figures by ethnic group include people born in New Zealand.15
Page 3: ContentsForewords..................
Page 6 and 7: Executive SummaryIntroduction and B
Page 8 and 9: Suggestions for further action incl
Page 10 and 11: Suggestions for further action incl
Page 12 and 13: 1.3 Background to this ReportPalmer
Page 14 and 15: Context2.1 Palmerston North and Fei
Page 18 and 19: Occupation of New Zealand born and
Page 21 and 22: Refugee Services trains and provide
Page 23 and 24: • Providing translation and inter
Page 25 and 26: Key FindingsA number of key finding
Page 27 and 28: • ‘NZIS could give migrants a p
Page 29 and 30: What is working well?• ‘Educati
Page 31 and 32: 3.2 HOUSINGCommunity Voices‘How d
Page 33 and 34: Feedback about What is not Working
Page 35 and 36: What is Cultural Diversity? - A loc
Page 37 and 38: • ‘Difficulty to feel accepted
Page 39 and 40: ACTIONPARTNERSDevelop strategies to
Page 41 and 42: 3.4 ECONOMIC WELL-BEINGCommunity Vo
Page 43 and 44: Cost of living• ‘We have 2-3 jo
Page 45 and 46: Existing Services and Activities•
Page 47 and 48: there were more people in the same
Page 49 and 50: ACTIONPARTNERSEnsure information re
Page 51 and 52: just see a specialist if you are si
Page 53 and 54: ACTIONEnsure that any information r
Page 55 and 56: Key Issues (feedback from focus gro
Page 57 and 58: • ‘When my son try to explain w
Page 59 and 60: 3.8 POSITIVE AGEINGCommunity Voices
Page 61 and 62: Cultural Maintenance• ‘As paren
Page 63 and 64: 3.9 SAFETY AND SECURITYCommunity Vo
Page 65 and 66: Feedback about What is Working Well
Page 67 and 68:
Focus Group Suggestions• More act
Page 69 and 70:
3.11 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSCommunit
Page 71 and 72:
in the Settling In discussions and
Page 73 and 74:
• Free weekly English conversatio
Page 75 and 76:
ReferencesEducation New Zealand (20
Page 77 and 78:
Ethnic groups 2006In 2006, Palmerst
Page 79 and 80:
Appendix 4Diversity in the Workplac
Page 81:
InclusionInclusion in a society is
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Settling In Palmerston North and Feilding - Human Rights Commission

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