NZ Under which party was unemployment lowest?
Under Labour, unemployment fell to 3.2%, the lowest on record. Under National it's 5.6%.
Updated
The series minimum was 3.2% (Dec 2021 qtr).
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| Period | Unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) (%) |
|---|---|
| Jun 2026 qtr | 5.6% |
| Mar 2026 qtr | 5.4% |
| Dec 2025 qtr | 5.4% |
| Sep 2025 qtr | 5.3% |
| Jun 2025 qtr | 5.2% |
| Mar 2025 qtr | 5.2% |
| Dec 2024 qtr | 5.1% |
| Sep 2024 qtr | 4.9% |
| Jun 2024 qtr | 4.7% |
| Mar 2024 qtr | 4.4% |
| Dec 2023 qtr | 4.0% |
| Sep 2023 qtr | 3.9% |
| Jun 2023 qtr | 3.7% |
| Mar 2023 qtr | 3.5% |
| Dec 2022 qtr | 3.4% |
| Sep 2022 qtr | 3.3% |
| Jun 2022 qtr | 3.3% |
| Mar 2022 qtr | 3.3% |
| Dec 2021 qtr | 3.2% |
| Sep 2021 qtr | 3.3% |
Government bands: Government term · Government term · Labour under Clark · National under Key and English · Labour under Ardern and Hipkins · National under Luxon
Borders were closed, so employers struggled to find workers.
The post-COVID labour shortage contributed to low unemployment. A change during a term does not establish a government's effect.
Source: Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa.
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