'Come Back To Niue': Minister Calls On Diaspora To Help Build The Island

Thursday, 18 July 2024, 3:12 pm
Article: RNZ

Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific Journalist

There is a call for Niue's diaspora in New Zealand to return to the island and help with its development.

Niue has a population of around 1600, and like other Pacific nations, it has been struggling to retain its people.

The island, self-governing in 'free association' with New Zealand, has a deficit of more than $15 million hanging over the government.

Referred to as 'The Rock', it is celebrating 50 years of free association with New Zealand this year.

Niueans, or tagata Niue, hold NZ passports - which means they can can work and move freely between Niue and Aotearoa.

But Niue's Education Minister Sonya Talagi is calling on the diaspora to come home.

Talagi told RNZ Pacific people leave for education and employment and do not return.

"We are happy for those in New Zealand, who are succeeding, who are building their lives," she said.

"But at the same time, we need people to come back to Niue to realise and appreciate that value that Niue has and help build it with us Niueans."

She said Niue cannot compete with New Zealand's high wages and thinks NZ to help by increasing wages in Niue.

A business owner and the Chamber of Commerce director, Avi Rubin has lived in Niue for the last 32 years.

He has four children and said his biggest challenge was convincing them to stay.

"A lot of it has to start from home, just explaining to the kids that there is other opportunities and chances around the world. But the quality of life and the security is here."

In June, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited the island in his first Pacific mission to "sharpen focus" in the region.

Luxon met with Premier Dalton Tagelagi and announced a $20m Niue renewable energy project to reduce the island's reliance on diesel.

Then, earlier this month Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters was also travelled there, where he announced public sector support for the Niue government worth $13 million over the next five years.

Peters said the more self-reliant Niue becomes the bigger the population can also get. He sees tourism as an obvious growth area.

Tagelagi told RNZ Pacific he was his focus is on looking after the environment first before the economy.

He said he was not too concerned about the government deficit.

"You cannot just [make it] al about the economy and you neglect the environment because we are here because of the environment, we are here because of the ocean," he said.

"How do you maximise returns economically from the environment, there's endless possibilities out there.

"Every country in the world has deficit. That is an issue for me."

Like the Premier, Rubin is not too worried about economic growth, saying it was up to the people to decide how far they want to take it.

"Most of us live here because of the quality of life. I can have the same businesses anywhere else in the world and five times as much, and I did I had other businesses before I came here when I was very young.

"We live here because the balance of work and family is fantastic."

'Students are disadvantaged'

But while the government has its focus on, for the principal of Niue High School, students struggling with the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) tests is the real challenge.

Charles Ioane said isolation has made it difficult for students to perform in the New Zealand secondary school curriculum pilot tests.

The literacy and numeracy tests could become a compulsory part of NCEA in 2026, with students required to pass to receive any NCEA qualification.

Out of 242 Cook Island and Niuean students in June last year, only 18 percent passed reading, 45 percent passed writing, and 23 percent passed numeracy.

Ioane said his school found it difficult to incorporate the teaching behind the new curriculum.

"We are isolated and the more help we get the better it is for our students," he said.

"We are a realm country and we are doing New Zealand curriculum, and sometimes it feels like the students are disadvantaged because of that isolation."

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