Asians will make up a third of New Zealand’s population by 2048.
(View interactive image here)
For those worried about one in eight working-age New Zealanders currently relying on a benefit, this is good news.
That’s because Asians are heavily under-represented amongst beneficiaries.
While making up around 20 per cent of the population they only account for five per cent of people dependent on benefits.
The news gets even better. Of that five per cent, two thirds are receiving an unemployment benefit. This is the benefit people rely on for the shortest period and current numbers will abate quickly when (if) unemployment falls. There are only 2,817 Asian single parents (June 2025) compared to 38,556 Māori.
Of course, 2048 is a generation away and Asian behaviours will undoubtedly change over the next couple of decades. How much is anyone’s guess. I am not sufficiently familiar with various Asian cultures to make predictions.
But Asians – Indians in particular – are going to immerse themselves in the political life of New Zealand. In Lower Hutt we have an Indian female running for mayor and the evidence of Indian cultural and commercial activity is everywhere. I like the cut of her jib and she has my vote.
Can we expect that as Asian values become more prevalent we will see less tolerance for people who make benefit dependency a lifelong habit?
I hope so.
Data sources:
https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/asian-ethnic-population-projected-to-increase/
https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/benefit/index.html
This article was originally published on the author’s blog.
