Unemployment

Last week's unemployment numbers were not good news.

New Zealand's unemployment rate hit 7.3% in the quarter to December, up from 6.5%, to touch its highest level for more than 10 years - with young unemployed in the forefront of increases.

Unemployment in Queenstown soared in the last six months of 2009 to levels not seen since 2003, but has been dropping steadily in the past couple of weeks.

The Forsyth Barr Stadium loomed large in Dunedin's building activity figures last year, with the project pushing up the value of building consents for the year by $116 million.

All Anterea Matana and his wife Mina want for Christmas this year are jobs.

The severe toll the recent recession took on New Zealand's labour market was confirmed yesterday when figures released showed that the country's unemployment level reached 6.5% in September.

While the number of people on benefits is rising, there are some positive signs that government efforts to blunt the pain are working, says Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.

The Government's offer to subsidise youth wages has resulted in 55 jobs being taken up and 79 more about to be filled, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said today.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is right to audit the highest-paid beneficiaries, Prime Minister John Key says.

One sure thing that will come from the uproar over MPs expenses is that none of them are likely to criticise beneficiaries in the foreseeable future.