This year, Gambling Harm Awareness (GHAW) is observed
from 5 – 11 September. GHAW provides opportunities for
reflection, promotion, and raising awareness around gambling
harm, gambling addiction and the wider impacts of gambling
on whānau and hapori.
This year, Hāpai te Hauora are
excited to launch ‘Ka Hao te Rangatahi’, an eight-part
webinar series that aims to build the financial capability
of rangatahi Māori. The series will cover off topics such
as te ao Māori and money right through to understanding how
investing works. Ka Hao te Rangatahi comes from the
whakatauki – ka pū te ruha ka hao te rangatahi, speaking to
upcoming generations to take up the reigns left by their
pakeke and kaumātua.
Tara Dymus, General Manager,
Māori Public Health says, “In 2022, gambling addiction and
harm still affects whānau Māori at the highest rates
compared to other ethnic groups. If we unpack how the social
determinants of health impact Māori, it is glaringly
obvious that Māori still don’t have equitable access to
opportunities to improve their financial circumstances that
would lift whanau out of poverty.
Dymus continues, “In
the context of this kaupapa we want rangatahi to develop a
robust kete of mātauranga around money, ultimately using it
as a tool to break the cycles of poverty that whānau Māori
have been trapped in for generations. The overall aim of
this kaupapa is to facilitate pathways towards tino
rangatiratanga for whanau Māori through financial stability
and wealth”.
International studies suggest that people
who are more financially literate are less likely to gamble
frequently, thus illustrating possible links between
financial literacy and gambling rates. The Commission for
Financial Literacy and Retirement Income (2013) National
Survey results show that 43% of Māori and 22% of Pākehā
fall into the ‘low financial knowledge group’. However,
it is important to note that there are also behaviours where
the average Māori score is higher or equal to the New
Zealand average, like keeping track of money or informed
product choice.
Overall, the New Zealand Financial
Capability Survey 2021 highlights that whānau Māori have
lower financial wellbeing outcomes than average, and score
lower across a number of financial capabilities.
Furthermore, Māori are eight times more likely to
experience gambling harm than the general
population.
Madison-Rei Willison, Māori Public Health
Advisor at Hāpai says “These statistics simply highlight
the need to support whānau Māori in ventures of developing
financial literacy, capability and confidence by
demystifying money and providing knowledge that is both
accessible and easily digestible. Our team at Hāpai are
hoping that these webinars will both inspire and remind our
rangatahi to dream big and see a brighter future for
themselves and their whānau by using financial literacy as
a vehicle”.
In the context of gambling, Madison-Rei
highlights the importance of preventative action “We are
targeting our rangatahi so they have the tools and resources
to make financially sound decisions. If our whānau are
well- equipped with the knowledge and have confidence around
managing their finances, we may be able to prevent or
minimise the likelihood of whānau partaking in high risk
activities such as gambling and spiralling into vicious debt
cycles”.
Tune into our monthly webinars, on the first
and last Thursday’s of the month on our Facebook
and Instagram
pages.
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