Hon Steve Maharey
Acting Minister for Social Development and Employment
9 August 2007
Labour force survey results best ever recorded
With labour force participation and employment both at all time highs and the unemployment rate at an equal low of 3.6
percent, this quarter's Household Labour Force Survey results are the best ever recorded, Acting Social Development and
Employment Minister Steve Maharey said today.
"In December 1999 when the Labour Party took office the participation rate was 65.4 percent. Now participation is at its
highest rate since the survey began two decades ago with labour force participation at 68.8 percent," said Mr Maharey.
In particular, female participation increased steadily again this quarter to reach an all time high of 62.2 percent.
Both part time and full time employment also increased, leading to the highest level of employment ever recorded.
2,158,000 New Zealanders were employed in the June 2007 quarter, compared to 2,144,000 last quarter.
"The Labour-led government's commitment to upskilling the New Zealand workforce, lifting the quality of employment, and
providing more choices for living, caring and working is paying dividends. These fantastic results highlight this
commitment."
The unemployment rate in New Zealand also dropped this quarter from 3.7 percent to 3.6 percent – the equal lowest
unemployment rate ever recorded.
The survey also showed Maori unemployment was at an all time low at 7.6 percent in the year to March.
"For three years now unemployment in New Zealand has been under four percent. We are the only country in the OECD to
achieve such a low unemployment rate over such an extensive period," said Mr Maharey.
ENDS