Aucklanders, along with those looking for casual and part-time work, are among those suffering in a soft labour market, latest data shows.
Seasonally adjusted employment figures released by Stats NZ on Wednesday showed the national rate of unemployment ticked up 0.1 percentage points to 5.2 percent in the June 2025 quarter, marking an 11.1 percent rise in joblessness with 158,000 New Zealanders out of work. This is the highest rate since 2020 and in line with the Reserve Bank’s expectations, but lower than the 5.3 percent widely forecast by economists.
Subscribe to continue reading
Already have an account? Sign In.
Unlimited access Newsroom Pro articles
Bonus subscription for a friend or family member
Exclusive subscriber-only emails
Access to post and read comments on articles
A daily morning email of news and insights curated by Newsroom Pro editorial team