00:02South Auckland is home to one of the largest Pacific communities in the world.
00:09But behind the smiles, many here say life is tough.
00:13Struggling with food, struggling with paying the rent.
00:18You know, we feel that we're struggling.
00:21With the general election just weeks away,
00:24cost of living is at the top of voters' minds.
00:26The centre-right government says its spending cuts have the economy back on track.
00:32The good news is all the projections from the Treasury will indicate
00:35the next couple of years we'll be seeing good solid growth.
00:38But they've also cut a number of Māori and Pacific programmes.
00:42And unemployment is at a decade high.
00:45We have a record number of business liquidations.
00:48We know inflation is going back up.
00:50The opposition says it would freeze the fuel tax, cap public transport fares
00:55and fund free GP visits with a new tax on investment property gains.
00:59As the cost of living rises and jobs are harder to come by,
01:03many are asking whether Auckland still offers the same promise it once did.
01:09Around 150,000 people have left for Australia in just a few years.
01:14Just in this year, probably close to 10 of our members have been moved over.
01:18It'll just be here with job security.
01:21They're looking at the future of their kids.
01:24The government hopes new fast-track laws for resource projects
01:27will keep more people at home.
01:30Two hours south of Auckland, a gold mine at Waihi is set to expand.
01:35To be able to work in a mining industry in New Zealand with my family is all I ever wanted.
01:42Whoever wins in November will need to find more reasons to convince others to stay as well.
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