pn638. Guess who are our lowest paid workers?

Wage gap: ethnicity by age group

People of Pacific Island descent are the lowest paid workers in the country.

Now the Human Rights Commission is launching an inquiry into why that is exactly - examining equal pay, pay parity and pay equity issues and the extent of what it says is discrimination against Pasifika.

The only positive feature I see in this graph is that the wage gap is least in the two younger age groups— but then they all the worst paid! -- ACW

pn584. Reactions to the new Cabinet (and a table of members' responsibilites)

"builds fantastic relationships"

Hailed as a Cabinet of surprises by Tova O"Brien (Newshub), Jane Patterson (RNZ) and Julie Iled (NBR), Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom)  writes of "big calls",  and Helen du Plessis-Allan (NZ Herald) of  Jacinda  "finally show(ing) she has a backbone with tough Cabinet calls" while Tim Watkin (RNZ) writes  "in safe hands - but nothing flashy." 

The only overtly negative call, surprisingly,  came from left-leaning Chris Trotter (Daily Blog)  who likened the appointments to a curate's egg, both good and bad. He named the "bad" as the appointment of Kris Faafoi as Minister of Justice and Nanaia Mahuta as Foreign Minister, who, incidentally, are both Polynesian. 

Maori journalists were overjoyed there are five Maori in Cabinet, and one outside. They will cover 16 ministerial and associate ministers roles inside Cabinet, and a further three  outside.

Why So Little Maori and Pasifika Literature, and Why this Question is Important

pn459

• Why is there so little Maori and Pasifika creative writing?
• Why is there no course in Maori and Pasifika Literature in English taught in any of our universities? 
• Why are these questions important?

Read what Dr Tina Makareti has so say in e-tangata.