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Key points
This indicator measures the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force. Paid employment is a major factor determining personal income, which in turn determines the ability of households to purchase goods and services. It also affects health, housing, education and crime outcomes, as well as people’s ability to participate in their community.
- In the 2006 Census, 5.2 percent of people in the Waikato region reported that they were unemployed, compared to 5.1 percent of all New Zealanders. Between 1991 and 2006, the unemployment rate dropped considerably for the Waikato region and at the national level.
- Unemployment rates within the region vary between districts. The highest rate of unemployment in 2006 was in the South Waikato District (7.9%) and the lowest rate was in the Waipa District (3.3%).
- Estimates from the quarterly Household Labour Force Survey indicate that the Waikato regional unemployment rate reached a long-term low of 2.6% in December 2006 but rebounded up to 7.5% in the September 2011 quarter. These latest figures reflect a general economic slow-down during 2008-2011.
Source: Statistics New Zealand Census 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006
Estimated quarterly unemployment rate for the Waikato Region
Source: Statistics New Zealand Quarterly Household Labour Force Survey
What agencies are doing
Information currently being collated.
What you can do to help
You can help your local community by:
- employing local people
- buying locally produced goods and services so that money stays in your community for longer, producing more jobs
- encouraging sustainable businesses that create new jobs, improve the local economy and are environmentally aware
- checking out local employment opportunities or volunteer within the community to gain work experience.
More information
More detail on this indicator, including how and where this information is collected, is available here.
What we want to achieve
The community outcomes we are seeking to achieve by monitoring the unemployment rate are:
- our regional and local economies are robust and diverse, providing opportunities throughout the Waikato region
- the growth, wealth and uniqueness of the Māori economy is acknowledged and supported.