Unemployment

There were 55,272 people on the dole at the end of July, documents released today show.

Another 303 frontline staff will be hired by Work and Income to help people find jobs, the Government said today.

Unemployment is going to get worse before it gets better, Finance Minister Bill English said today after latest statistics showed it had risen to 6 percent.

A new scheme to get youth into jobs should include a guarantee no existing workers are made redundant, Labour says.

The Government is being called on to ensure youth can still get support if they fail to take up schemes to get into education, work or training.

Labour and National traded blows over lengthening dole queues today, with the Opposition accused of a policy backtrack and the Government attacked for not doing enough to help.