Insight provided into family ties which cross national boundaries

Around one in five people living in New Zealand were not born here and around 20 percent of people born here are believed to be living overseas.

This means, that most people in New Zealand will at one time or another have links to family living overseas and can experience the isolation, lack of support, financial pressures and other difficulties that can result from this separation.

The Families Commission has just released a study that looks at issues surrounding families who have members living in other countries.

Les Familles et Whānau sans Frontières — New Zealand and Transnational Family Obligation was carried out by a team of researchers at Massey University under the project leadership of Dr Neil Lunt. It was commissioned by the Families Commission Blue Skies Fund, which provides grants for innovative research on family issues.

The study shows how the ethnicity of New Zealand's population has changed over the years, with a growing number of migrants from Asia, the Middle East, sub Sarahan Africa and more New Zealand-born people with a Pacific heritage. In a little over 15 years it is estimated there will be a million people living in New Zealand who are of Pacific or Asian ethnicity.

Transnational families are mobile and hybrid (their mobility includes an increasing number of migrants who move on from New Zealand – 22,000 in 2004). Families sometimes migrated together, others follow family members to New Zealand. There are also family reunions and sponsorship (including marriage and sponsorship). Pension allowances can also influence where retirees choose to live.

Dr Lunt says "In other situations, international students, parents of young children, migrants parenting alone with partners overseas, and older people can have real problems coping with a new life, in a new country without the usual family supports. We need to think seriously about the efforts that are being made to reach these people and make sure they have the services and help they need. It's a growing problem, as New Zealand's population becomes more and more global."

Families Commission Chief Commissioner, Rajen Prasad says the study provides a valuable insight into the issues faced by these families. It highlights some important policy issues involving immigration, pensions, social security eligibility and social supports. But we also need much more information on which to base long term planning and policy, he said.

Some research is already underway but there are still major gaps in our understanding. The authors of the Families Commission study have made a submission to Statistics New Zealand's General Social Survey Preliminary Consultation stressing the importance of asking questions about trans-national family within the Social Survey that is planned for 2007. Statistics New Zealand is also undertaking a review of family statistics issues, with a Family Survey planned for 2008/2009.

"Over coming generations, New Zealand families will gradually develop more and more links with family members living overseas as marriage, careers, travel and migration continue to influence our population. This is an important aspect of New Zealand family life and one that the Commission, and our society needs to be aware of. This 'globalised' population not only has important social and cultural links but also strong business and trade potential," said Dr Prasad.