Ministerial foreword
He kupu whakataki nā te Minita mō te Hunga Kaumātua
I am pleased to present the Older Workers Employment Action Plan. It aims to ensure that older workers (aged 50 and over) who want or need to work can find sustainable employment that fulfils their needs and aspirations and contributes to their overall wellbeing.
With New Zealanders living longer, many also want a longer working life. Some older workers, however, find it challenging to remain in fulfilling work. The Government wants to ensure all workers are able to reach their full potential. This action plan is one of the seven supporting population employment action plans for those who consistently experience poor labour market outcomes. It builds on the Government’s 2019 Employment Strategy, which recognises the impact that work has on our everyday lives, as well as its importance as a means for social and economic advancement and to support a growing and transforming economy.
The Older Workers Employment Action Plan recognises that in addition to the age discrimination experienced by many older workers, some also experience disadvantage due to the compounding effects of gender, ethnicity and disability.
The actions in the plan:
▷ support older workers to use and transition their skills to find and stay in employment as they age and their circumstances change
▷ support employers to be more inclusive of older workers
▷ promote wider discussion and analysis of the effects and opportunities of an ageing workforce in the context of future economic planning.
Coordination across other employment action plans and giving effect to the obligation under Te Tiriti o Waitangi to facilitate full Māori participation in the labour market will be an important aspect of its implementation.
An ongoing focus for me as Minister for Seniors is to continue to deliver on the Better Later Life – He Oranga Kaumātua Strategy. The launch of this Action Plan itself fulfils one of the eight actions under the first Better Later Life – He Oranga Kaumātua Action Plan 2021 to 2024. This Action Plan aligns fully with the Strategy’s focus on promoting meaningful work for older people to achieve financial security and economic participation.
This plan is a collaborative effort, bringing together input from the public, business and government to provide critical guidance to help ensure opportunities to support and encourage older workers now and in the future.
He kupu whakataki nā te Minita mō te Hunga Kaumātua
E koa ana au kia whakapuakihia ai te Mahere Whakawhiwhi Mahi Mō te Hunga Pakeke. Ko tāna whai kia whakatūturu mō te hunga pakeke (e 50 te pakeke neke atu rānei) e hiahia ana ki te mahi, e mate ana rānei ki te mahi kia kimi mahi toitū nei e ea ā rātou manako, wawata anō hoki, me te aha, e kounga ake ai ō rātou hauora.
Inā hoki e ora roa ake ana tātou o Aotearoa, he tokomaha ake anō e hiahia mahi tonu ai. Otiia, he mea wero ko ētahi o te hunga pakeke, kia noho tonu ai ki tētahi tū mahi whakatūtataki nei. Tā te Kāwanatanga hiahia e whakatutuki ai ngā kaimahi katoa ō rātou pitomata. He Mahere Mahi kotahi tēnei o ngā mahere whakawhiwhi mahi taupori, e whitu mō ērā e rite ana te wheakohia i ngā hua kino o te mākete mahi ringa raupā. He mea whakakahangia tēnei i tā te Employment Strategy Whakawhiwhi Mahi nō te tau 2019 e āhukahukangia ai ngā pānga o te ao mahi ki ō tātou anō ao o ia rā me tāna hira hei kokenga whakamua ā-iwi, ā-ohaoha hoki, ā, kia tautoko i te whakatipu me te panoni haere o te ao ōhanga.
Ko te Mahere Mahi Whakawhiwhi Mahi Mō te Hunga Pakeke e āhukahuka ana ko te whakatoihara anō i te pakeketanga e wheakohia ana e ngā tini kaimahi pakeke, ko ētahi anō kei te wheako i te whakatoihara mō ngā āhuatanga ira, iwitanga, whaikahatanga anō hoki.
Ngā mahi kei roto i te mahere:
▷ kia tautoko i ngā kaimahi pakeke kia whakamahi, kia whakawhiti hoki ō rātou pūkenga kia kimi mahi, kia pūmau hoki i te mahi i a rātou ka pakeke haere ai, ā, ina panoni haere ngā āhuatanga ki a rātou
▷ kia tautoko i ngā kaiwhakawhiwhi mahi kia kanorau ake ai o te hunga kaimahi pakeke
▷ kia whakatairanga i ngā matapakina me te tātari i ngā pānga o ngā angitūtanga o te hunga kaimahi e pakeke haere nei mā roto mai i te ao whakamahere ohaoha o te anamata.
Ko te whakariterite puta atu i ētahi atu mahere mahi me te whai take anō ki ngā kawatau i raro i Te Tiriti o Waitangi kia whakahaere i te whai waahitanga mai o te Māori ki te mākete mahi ringa raupā hei āhuatanga hira o tāna whakatinanatanga iho.
Hei kaupapa aro tonu ai māku hei Minita mō te hunga Pakeke kia whakarato tonu ai te – He Oranga Kaumātua Strategy. Ko te whakarewatanga o tēnei Mahere Mahi tonu e ea ai kotahi o ngā mahi o roto i te waru i raro i te He Oranga Kaumātua He Mahere Hohenga 2021 ki 2024. E tīaroaro mārika ana tēnei Mahere Mahi ki te aronga o te Rautaki mō te whakatairanga i te mahi whai take mō te hunga pakeke kia pai ai te taha pūtea ki a rātou me te whai waahi mai anō ki te ao ohaoha.
He mahi ngātahi tēnei mahere e tō mai ana i ngā whakaaro o te tūmatanui, ngā kamupene me te kāwanatanga kia whakatakoto ārahitanga i ngā whakaaro arorau e whakatoka i ngā angitu e tautoko ai, e akiaki ai i te hunga kaimahi pakeke ināianei, ā, anamata ake nei.
Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall
Minister for Seniors