11 May 2006

Minister welcomes HLFS confirmation

Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia is pleased to see that figures in Statistics New Zealand’s Household Labour Force Survey released today confirm the Maori unemployment rate is the lowest annual average recorded in 20 years.

"8.6 per cent is a significant improvement on what this Labour-led government inherited in 1999," said Parekura Horomia.

“The proportion of Maori in work has been climbing steadily. Maori are increasingly taking charge of their own destiny, playing an increasingly crucial part in NZ’s economy through education, employment and enterprise.”

Today's figures show the labour force participation rate for Maori increased from 62.4 per cent in 1999 to 67.1 per cent in the year to March 2006. This compared with 69.6 per cent for Europeans and 62.7 per cent for Pacific People.

Wage growth has also been strong for Maori, with average hourly earnings rising by 4 per cent between June 1999 and June 2005, from $13.11 to $16.58. This compares with an economy-wide average wage growth per annum of 3.8 per cent.

“Maori participation will continue to be a key to a growing New Zealand labour market” Mr Horomia concluded.

ENDS

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