Unemployment reaches 150,000

In seasonally adjusted terms, the number of unemployed rose by 12,000 to reach 150,000 people, and the unemployment rate increased to 6.5 per cent during the September 2009 quarter, Statistics NZ has said.

The number of people unemployed is at its highest level since the March 1994 quarter.

A rise in the number of unemployed males drove the increase in unemployment during the latest quarter, however, the number of unemployed females also rose. The number of people unemployed has increased steadily since the December 2007 quarter.

“During the past year there have been notable decreases in employment in the manufacturing, retail trade and accommodation, and construction industries, while employment in the health care and social assistance, and public administration and safety industries has increased,” said Peter Gardiner, manager of Work, Knowledge and Skills at Statistics NZ.

Actual hours worked fell by 0.7 per cent during the September 2009 quarter, reflecting the 0.8 per cent fall in employment. Actual hours worked have fallen by 3.1 per cent since the September 2008 quarter.

The labour force participation rate fell by 0.4 percentage points to 68.0 per cent during the latest quarter, partly due to a decline in the number of people in the labour force. Participation is at its lowest rate since the March 2008 quarter.