role of the government in aiding workplaces to develop cultural competency training programmes is made clear by the lack of voluntary uptake by workplaces but also through the insights of Pacific workers themselves: “[The government] has to help private and government organisations to design the organisational culture to be more friendly and welcome women and ethnic minority in the workplace.”379 7.4 Current programmes aimed at improving Pacific workforce experiences As outlined above, institutional racism has a role to play in the Pacific Pay Gap, and without addressing wider societal contributors to the pay gap, any measures implemented will fail to deliver on much-needed change in social inequity. The labour market experience within New Zealand needs to include analysis of the diverse experiences of discrimination and marginalisation faced by migrants and Indigenous peoples if there is hope to bring true structural transformation and address such inequalities.380 Current government-led initiatives to support Pacific peoples in low-skilled precarious work are focused on bringing a gradual transition into quality employment over a period of four years.381 Such initiatives have been proposed by MBIE and the Ministry of Social Development in response to the negative impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the earnings of Pacific peoples, aiming to provide further employment opportunities for people who have lost employment due to COVID restrictions and their impact on the economy.382 Such initiatives have encouraged the use of Pacific perspectives to shape these responses, including Pacific voices in decision making and providing further resources for Pacific communities to generate locally produced solutions “by and for” Pacific peoples.383 This initiative also suggests the need to increase the availability and speed of upskilling, training and opportunities for Pacific peoples to further excel within the workplace. It also indicates the benefits for cultural competency training for employers to understand Pacific perspectives within the workplace.384 Another initiative called the Southern Initiative claims that approaching the issue focused on creating spaces of social innovation and social aspiration rather than looking at Pacific deficit is the way to bring about long-term improvements to Pacific inequality.385 These programmes indicate that a multistakeholder approach with government intervention provides opportunities to address inequities within our current labour market. This reflects research about the importance of partnership and collaboration between Pacific communities, data analysts, policy innovators, leaders, universities, social enterprises and funders to change how Pacific peoples currently experience the labour market.386 However, such measures need government direction in order to encourage participation from employers.387 379 Tupou, “The Effect of the Glass Ceiling,” 61. 380 Miles, Bob, and Paul Spoonley. “The Political Economy of Labour Migration: An Alternative to the Sociology of ‘Race’ and ‘Ethnic Relations’ In New Zealand.” Journal of Sociology 21, no. 1 (1985): 3-26, 9, 16. 381 Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment. Briefing for Incoming Minister for Economic Development. Wellington: Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment, 2020, 16. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2020-12/ Economic%20Development.PDF. 382 Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment and Ministry of Social Development. Briefing to the Incoming Minister for Social Development and Employment. Wellington: Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment and Ministry of Social Development, 2020, 21. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2020-12/Social%20Development%20and%20 Employment.pdf. 383 Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, Briefing for Incoming Minister for Economic Development, 16. 384 Ministry for Women and Ministry for Pacific Peoples. Pacific Women and Men in Business. Wellington: Ministry for Women and Ministry for Pacific Peoples, 2021, 11. https://women.govt.nz/sites/public_files/Pacific%20Women%20and%20Men%20in%20 Business.pdf. 385 Burkett, Ingrid, and Cathy Boorman. Strengths and Opportunities: Review of TSI 2020. Queensland: Yunus Centre, 2020, 7-12. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5cf74c8f2829e20001db724f/t/6010d94d849bae794acd349b/1611716983807/ Review+of+TSI+2020+-+Strengths+and+Opportunties. 386 Johnsen, Meriana. “Auckland Firm Generates $45 Million for Māori and Pasifika-owned Businesses.” Radio New Zealand, October 4, 2020. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/427561/auckland-firm-generates-45-million-for-maori-andpasifika-owned-businesses; Burkett and Boorman, Strengths and Opportunities, 9. 387 Burkett and Boorman, Strengths and Opportunities, 10, 21. Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry Literature Review 53