9 DECEMBER2025W MAN LEADERGLOBAL W MAN LEADERGLOBAL NEWS BITESA new report from Auckland Council and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) reveals a striking contrast at the heart of Auckland's Pacific economy: while Pacific women lead nearly one-third of Pacific-owned businesses, they remain largely ex-cluded from high-value sectors that shape long-term economic power.The Quantifying the Pacific Economy report shows significant momentum, with 1,776 Pacific-owned businesses generating almost $1.8 billion in sales last year. Yet Pacific women continue to face entrenched barriers, limited access to finance, underrepresen-tation in construction, manufacturing, professional services, and persistent inequities in leadership and pay. Advocacy groups note that Pacific women earn just $0.79 for every dollar earned by Pkeh men, a gap that spans multiple industries.Experts say this reflects broader systemic issues. Maulupeivao Dr Betty Ofe-Grant, senior lecturer at AUT Business School, notes that many Pacific busi-nesses struggle to survive for over a decade, with women disproportionately affected by lending bias and exclusion from influential networks. Despite Auckland being home to over 60% of New Zealand's Pacific population, pathways into high-growth indus-tries remain narrow.Leaders like Afamasaga Jackie Currie, founder of the Inailau Pacific Business Women's Network, argue that Pacific women need targeted, ring-fenced funding and stronger support in technology and export-driven sectors. Some are already forging ahead, such as Fibre Fale co-founder Namulau'ulu Eteroa Lafaele, who is helping Pacific communities build tech capability and inspiring youth through initiatives like her AI masterclasses and children's book.Namulau'ulu says she never saw Pacific represen-tation in tech growing up, inspiring her book to help children see themselves as future tech leaders. With 2,000+ learners in her AI masterclasses, she blends indigenous knowledge and ethical practice, using culture as her compass to guide future generations into technology. · Pacific women lead one-third of Pacific-owned businesses in Auckland· They remain underrepresented in high-value sectors like construction and profes-sional services· Pacific women face major hurdles in ac-cessing capital, networks, and fair payPACIFIC WOMEN RISE IN BUSINESS BUT MISS OUT ON HIGH-VALUE SECTORS
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