May 7 2009
The latest figures show a drop in labour demand in New Zealand.
The country's unemployment rate rose from 4.6 percent in the December 2008 quarter to 5.0 percent in the March 2009 quarter, the highest for six years.
Unemployment numbers increased by 7,000 to reach 115,000.
The labour force participation rate fell from 69.1 percent to 68.4 percent.
The number of people employed in New Zealand fell from the all-time high of 2.191 million, in December 2008, to 2.182 million.
In the tables below we have summarised the government's Statistics NZ unemployment figures for different ethnic groups, age groups and regions of New Zealand.
Unemployment rose for all ethnicities and age-groups. Particularly badly affected were Pacific Peoples, whose unemployment rate rose from 7.8 to 13.1 percent.
Unemployment rose in all regions except for Taranaki, Southland and Tasman / Nelson / Marlborough / West Coast.
Unemployment by Ethnic Group
| Ethnicity | Unemployment Rate |
| European | 3.8% |
| Maori | 11.9% |
| Pacific Peoples | 13.1% |
| Asian | 6.6% |
Unemployment by Region
| Region | Unemployment Rate |
| Northland | 9.0% |
| Auckland | 6.5% |
| Waikato | 5.8% |
| Bay of Plenty | 6.3% |
| Gisborne / Hawkes | 7.8% |
| Taranaki | 2.6% |
| Manawatu/Wanganui | 5.0% |
| Wellington | 5.5% |
| Tasman / Nelson / Marlborough / West Coast | 2.9% |
| Canterbury | 4.6% |
| Otago | 4.3% |
| Southland | 2.8% |
Unemployment by Age-Group
| Age Group | Unemployment Rate |
| 15 - 19 | 19.6% |
| 20 - 24 | 12.0% |
| 25 - 29 | 4.8% |
| 30 - 34 | 4.9% |
| 35 - 39 | 4.3% |
| 40 - 44 | 3.6% |
| 45 - 49 | 3.9% |
| 50 - 54 | 2.5% |
| 55 - 59 | 2.8% |
| 60 - 64 | 3.4% |
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Other Figures:
Unemployment December 2008.
Unemployment March 2008.
Unemployment December 2007.
Unemployment September 2006.
Unemployment November 2005.
Unemployment May 2005.
Unemployment February 2005.
Unemployment June 2004.