Tongan Workers

Call to support Tongan workers in NZ, Aust labour programmes

In its aftermath, a range of support measures have been implemented by key stakeholders - the employers, liaisons, government officials, community organisations and members of the Tongan diaspora in both countries.

This is to support the Tongan workers as they come to terms with the impacts of the natural disaster on their families and livelihoods back at home.

But the response efforts have been hampered by a recent outbreak of Covid-19 in the Kingdom - 196 cases confirmed so far.

South Auckland company shout 200 workers to back Tonga League team

Many members of the Tongan community also say the hype is not as intense this year compared to previous years and there are even fewer decorated houses.

But in South Auckland, for the third year in a row, a pipe manufacturing company is shouting a couple of hundred workers to back Mate Ma'a Tonga this weekend.

At Hynds Pipe system in East Tamaki, workers are gearing up for the game and they're known to take up about 6 rows in the South Stand at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland.

More NZ concerns over drunk Tonga RSE workers

The strawberry farm each year employs about 90 Tongan workers under New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme.

Lynda Ashby was in Nuku'alofa last week and said the majority of the Tongans were hard working but a few are damaging the country's reputation due to their heavy consumption of alcohol.

Radio Tonga quoted her saying the alcohol use had led to brawls.

Ms Ashby said if the problem was not solved the farm might look for another country in the Pacific to supply its workers.