Unemployment 7.3%

not good not good

not good... could be worse

thank god for the cycleway

can we now have the real unemployed stats - ie not just those registered

the great white hope

Basically, they haven't done shit to try and combat rising job losses.

HAY WTF!? WHY DIDNT NATIONAL RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE EVEN MORE

Oh wait..

one could say its not govts role to create jobs - the entire concept smacks of socialism

if the market isn't providing jobs then surely the demad just isn't there

I know I'd rather not work

FUCKEN JOHN NOT CARING ABOUT US JOBLESS PPL ... MAKE ME A JOB YOU CUNT!!!

You realise this whole thing the right likes to spout about rising wages increasing unemployment is a crock of shit right? That the statistics from NZ totally do not bear this out?

Disgusting post

yeah caps suck

Sorry guys ... caps lock got stuck

True. Must just be a big lie along with all those 3rd form economic books. Lies I tell you!



Anyone blaming the government for high unemployment right now needs to buy themselves a clue.

Another good reason to head over to sydney

You do realise the distinction between economic theory and bare facts, right?

Also LOL since each year you progress with economics they tell you what you learnt the previous year is wrong and doesn't work in the "real world".

I don't really see anyone blaming the government, but what exactly are they DOING to try and mitigate? Sweet fuck all that's what.

that and that fact that new zealand gets rid of you.

Don't think me leaving the country is going to cure your obsession and longing for me.

is it just a hangover from rigid employment laws? Its pretty hard to fire people nowdays, so buisnesses are much more wary of hiring people, and those who are currently unemployed will be less likely to be tried than someone who is currently employed but looking for a new position. So with a shrinking job market, this problem would be compounded would it not? I dunno, me and economics are not really friends.

Not remotely related to employment laws. It's actually easy to terminate someone's employment, IF you follow the right procedure, which is actually pretty straightforward. Most SME's however don't bother to learn.

i know. itll be cry wanks for weeks just to get me through. luckily i have moved my daughters bed outside under a tarp i tied to the side of the house and her room is now a shrine to all our fabulous times together. i regularly sacrifice small animals on an alter with a poster of tiesto being god behind it.. your face is blu-tacked over his. dont tell me i never do anything for you.

Jason. A little, in some ways but as Kris says.. not a major. It is down to two things: the recession and NZs economic make-up. (compounded by the 9 years we had where basically nothing was done to future-proof our economy in any way)

Aha - so it was you! i figured someone must have done this, as quite regularly lately i have felt great power flowing through me, and have experienced magnificent spiritual luck + guidance. I even had the ghost of one of the hamsters you killed, come to me in a dream - wishing me a fortuitous and plentiful life. And before you ask... yes he spoke in English.. but he did have a lisp.

LOL... if only Labour had built a fucking cycleway eh Rob

isn't it businesses that should have utilised the nine great years they had to future proof themselves and as such the nation

Ooh dear. Its not looking good for NoJob next door (neighbour). He's been out of a job for a while, no wonder him and his wife keep fighting..

what does he expect with a name like NoJob?

Uhh - yeah they have? They have had a stimulus plan in place for ages now that's been providing shitloads of jobs in infrastructure, covering job losses in manufacturing, construction and trades (industries hit hard by the downturn)... noticed all those roadworks going on?

All those infrastructure projects were in place before National came to power dude - only Victoria Park Tunnel has been moved forward. Sorry.

Example:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/195+million+newmarket+viaduct+project+ready+roll

Exactly.

ok (thanks Rob and Kris) Is it possible to see the demographic of the unemployed somewhere? Do we have skilled people who just cant find work, or would it be mainly low skilled workers, pushed out by the outsourcing of basic tasks like manufacturing etc to cheaper labour markets?

Wtf - metaphor dude. Google National's stimulus plan..

Future proofing the economy? The tried that in the UK and they were the worst affected country in the western world when the recession hit, although Gordon Brown borrowing to spend more and then proclaiming that he had eliminated boom and bust was a tad foolish. I would have thought running a large surplus when times were good was actually very prudent of Dr Cullen.

dont worry, found some good reading:

http://www.dol.govt.nz/services/LMI/workforce2020/resilience-to-recession/resilience-to-recession_02.asp

This is quite interesting imo. LTU = Long term unemployed.

Massive chunks of that stimulus package were *already budgeted spending*. National had fuck all to do with lots of the projects they touted in that package.

Yes, enacting economic policy which aims to add to the overall productivity, flexibility, reduce business debt levels etc - which all help to buffer the economy and therefore businesses (averaged out) from down times.


Their's is such a different story it is incomparable to NZ. The size of the financial sector in the UK relative to their economy is something like 3 or 4 times NZ's per capita - hence their added pain when things went bad.

Running a large surplus gives you almost no protection from a year-long or longer downturn. A couple of billion dollars set aside is nothing compared to a couple of percent of downturn on the whole economy. At best it'll ease the pain for 6 months but then you'll discover that areas of poor planning still get caught up on. It's no different to saving, say, 10% of your pay year after year for 15 years but never bothering to go for a better job or payrise. In most cases you would have been better off using that money as you earned it to get more qualified etc to have higher future earnings.

overview: http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/the-9-billion-bait-and-switch

That's not an overview, it's an opinion piece. And it's also dated Feb 2009 - prior to the most recent budget.

Here's some more recent and relevant info:

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+boosts+productive+infrastructure

I'd like to take this opportunity to completely and totally blame the government.

Further more to all the national voters...



Obama and Key the one term wonders.

yep the govts own take is going to be so much better eh

OK, it's an accurate opinion piece.



I like how there is several of them

And still, exactly like I said, and that piece says. Massive chunks of the infrastructure and education stuff WAS ALREADY IN PLACE and National just claimed as their own. That's what actually happened. You can be blind to it all you like, but that original stimulus package was launched over a year ago, and unemployment is STILL rising.

It's almost impossible to be a one term governement in NZ, the only way that will happen is if they get rid of Key. The only 1 term government we've had since WW2 (possibly even longer) was Labour in the early 1970s when Norm Kirk died mid term. Look at the polls Nationals support is increasing not decreasing, and Phil Goff is rock bottom of preferred PM polls.

ssshhhhh you're ruining my pot stiring with your facts and shit.

i reckon Jono, what with your inviting crazies to supper, and blatant use of facts in threads. BANSTICK IMO

its only a fact until proven wrong (again)....

Hahahaha, excellent!!

Stimulus Package was introduced when, end of Q4 2008? Seems to be working eh?

You do realise the reasons for which unemployment is on the rise, right?

And make up your mind on the stimulus initiatives - I thought you were claiming they were from Labour.

You seem to think unemployment is the government's fault, or their responsibility to fix. How would you suggest the government do this? What do you think Labour would be doing?

labour would have continued to make all good kiwis move to australia.... freeing up jobs for us losers who want to stay

all them public servants now unemployed is very much this govts doing, so they must shoulder some of the blame

the fixing, isn't just for the govt to fix - but tell them that, ALL govts pretend it is their job to create jobs

Yes.



You claimed initially examples like infrastructure came from the stimulus package. "They have had a stimulus plan in place for ages now that's been providing shitloads of jobs in infrastructure, covering job losses in manufacturing, construction and trades (industries hit hard by the downturn)... noticed all those roadworks going on?"

I pointed out to you that most of those Auckland infrastructure projects (since you asked if I'd seen roadworks, and we're talking about Newmarket, SH20, SH16 at Westgate and lets also include Project DART and Rail Electrification), were all already designed and budgeted for by the previous Labour government. When National announced their stimulus packages, lots of things like this were included and touted as a great new package - even though they were already happening. Same thing with the Education stuff - new school construction and upgrades were announced, but again, WERE ALREADY HAPPENING AND WERE NOT NEW. I admit there is new spending across the Stimulus, but certainly National cannot take credit for all of it.



I already said I'm not blaming the government.



If it's not their responsibility, who's is it? They've harped on about things they can do, (remember the Job Summit? Where John's big idea of the cycleway came up?), but beyond these infrastructure projects which as I say, were already happening, they haven't done much. What could they do? Take some initiative maybe instead of just *talking* about it?

John seems pretty relaxed about it. All those hard holidays in Hawaii, you know, give him a break!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10623771

Example: where is some Government comment on the potential offshoring of 1500 highskill "knowledge economy" jobs by one of our biggest employers?

Errr, have you checked out the NSW unemployment figures lately?

Just FYI, that whole story is bullshit drummed up the Labour Party and the unions to aid their discussion point. They've been told by Telecom that it's simply untrue and they've got no idea what they're talking about but it makes for too good a story.

Short Story: Telecom is renewing it's outsourcing contract - exactly how moving from one outsourcer to another would cause redundancies at Telecom (let alone Gen-i) stumps me.

Sweet. Then you'll understand it was a) out of the govt's control, and b) not forecasted, right?



So.. no suggestions? What do you think Labour would be doing right now?

Fair enough, I haven't followed that story today, so I'll take your word for it.

It’s actually fitting that the awful Mr English has managed to push unemployment to 7.3 per cent in only 14 months, because that is where it was when National - and him - were last the government. That has to be some sort of record, going from the lowest unemployment in the OECD to the current level - and climbing - in less than 18 months.

The right wing apologist's for this bunch of hopeless, incompetent (Anne Tolley anyone? Kate Wilkinson anyone?) and useless losers shrill that it isn't THEIR fault. The government can't do anything about it. Well, under Labour’s policies of steady economic growth, debt repayment, budget surpluses (tax cuts! Tax cuts! Screamed the myopic and greedy fools of the right) and stable economic policies, unemployment fell to 3.4 per cent, the lowest in decades. Bill English has already more than doubled it with his policies of unsustainable tax cuts and subsequent high debt, slash-and-burn cutting and endless dirge-like speeches running down his own country about the country facing decades of misery ahead. A visionless and talentless Tory is our Double Dipton, aided and abetted by a leader who thinks being PM means you can take 9 weeks a year of annual holidays in a gated community for fellow millionaires.

No wonder business is not investing. No wonder so many New Zealanders flock to Australia, where even the Opposition does not run down their country the way our finance minister bad mouths New Zealand at every opportunity, while being exposed as gorging at the taxpayer trough like no minister had ever dared before.

Australia managed to avoid a recession altogether, because instead of doing nothing, it actively worked to stimulate the economy to retain jobs. Its unemployment rate has fallen steadily from the small jump it experienced when the former mates of that nice man Mr Key destroyed the world’s financial system. It is now 5.5 per cent and steadily going down while New Zealand’s rate is 7.3 per cent and going up.

For those who ask what can the government do, Australia mocks your stupidity ever second of every day.

Fuck dude have you not died of old age yet?

Brilliant. You are a rather pathetic comedian, perhaps you could do star jumps for cigarettes.

That comedy is at the level of intelligence your stupid, over the top and uneducated post required. Not sure why after all this time I'm still surprised tbh.

Agreed out of control - I've never said different. Not forecasted? Come on, the financial meltdown started LONG ago.



Nowhere have I said things like creating infrastructure jobs is a bad thing - that's one way the state can help the situation, but what I've been saying about that is National can't really take credit for them. So, yes, infrastructure jobs, even if it means borrowing to bring more projects forward (my pet the CBD rail project would be a good example because of the future economic and environmental benefits). Schemes targeted regionally - say based around local bodies/government departments taking on staff to work on projects beneficial to the local community. I know I'm not being specific here, but that's because what I'm thinking of is heavily regional. But can't have the government hiring more workers because they campaigned against that, and in fact contributed to unemployment Fuck, there's plenty they could do, that's their job, not mine

Rejigging the tax system to make corporates happy takes too damn long, and may not have much effect anyway as companies look to regain breathing room in their budgets instead of actually hiring.

Long and the short of it is that doing fuck all is not an option, but that's what they are doing anyway.

Edit: And I can't speak for what Labour WOULD be doing, but as noted, under Labour unemployment dropped to the lowest level NZ has had in a long long time, so it wasn't an issue. I can speak for what's happening now, sweet fuck all.

Quoted in yellow to point out what a complete blowarse you are here fishy.

Labour coasted New Zealand through the word's most economically prosperous decade. They didn't address or capitalise on the opportunity - they just coasted. The stability you mention was more like being frozen in their shoes and doing diddly squat - something which Bill English is now tasked with addressing.

Australia managed to avoid the worst of the recession because they were better prepared and placed than us to.

For their decade Clark's Labour govt ought to go down in our history as the idiots who had much of the developed world (including our closest neighbours) showing the way and instead sat there being directionless, clueless muppets who'd rather spend their efforts pandering to their target voters in some sort of pre-election bribe.

! Golden. ^_^

I meant to say "bribe-fest" actually. But thanks anyway.

Their main policy driver was 'what will get us re-elected' rather than 'how best to run the country'?

he always seems so awkward.. as if every single movement of his body is not natural and forced in order to come across as "normal?...

i wonder if he is really a crab person in disguise.

What is going on there around the crab people's mid-riffs? I'm pretty certain crustaceans don't have belly buttons...

Oh...




>_<!

crab people aren't crustaceans, they're people. Show some respect.

!!

LOVES!

Australia just has ridiculous amounts of natural resources the rest of the world wants. They can 'coast' till the cows come home.

However it also appears the banks here invested pretty wisely which insulated them from the worst of the financial crisis.

Holiday highway might create up to 600 jobs

that's why NAB is one of the world's biggest right now

Probably why they have been able to cut most of their consumer banking fees to zero as well.

NAB arent the biggest. Both Westpac and CBA are 10 and 20 billion larger respectively. But they have expanded too quickly and are 'resting ' at the moment. NAB is doing some PR work (fees reductions) to try and catch up a bit

Wait. Are you seriously saying this? From someone who supports the "what will get us elected" party? The one who still isn't really running the country just kneejerk reacts to public opinion?

Bill English is tasked with capitalising on his opportunity? Yeah, it's pretty clear he's been doing that to get himself a new TV and a cleaning lady and his mortgage paid.

Just be glad you're not in America : Continuing claims, the number of Americans receiving benefits for a week or more, rose to 4,602,000 from 4,600,000 the previous week.

wtf are you guys doing up at 3am?

Yes. In the last 3 years at least Labour's policies aimed basically to do nothing more than sure up votes for the next election. While the rest of the business world tried to take care of business and sure up their economy/plan farther ahead etc Labour spend the time with their heads firmly in the no, no, no.. .what will get us back in? mindset. They took their eye off the ball well and truly.

Labour just coasted through the most economically prosperous period in history and did nothing to safeguard against an inevitable downturn. Whichever government found themselves in power this term was going to face the same troubles - Labour or National.





What the fuck are you on about here. NZer's were flocking to Australia in droves during Labour's entire 9 year term. Idiotic comment.



No, Australia avoided a recession altogether because they have an incredible amount of mineral wealth and they can afford to implement larger stimulus packages. And you deplore National for giving tax-cuts, but Labour had promised to do the same.. and the Aussie govt which you laud gave out cash-handouts!

Open the other eye - you might find you can see more clearly

Not quite right, they managed to save up an 8 billion dollar surplus.

Also reduced foreign debt didn't they?

Exactly! That money should have been used to stimulate the economy via tax cuts. This would then have sparked a massive increase in pool extensions, solid gold toilets, and other core products of the NZ economy, Adamal.

Which equals almost squat at I explained many posts above. Having money in the bank which amounts to less then 5% of your annual earnings capability buffers you little from a downturn.

Grinder is totally right - they coasted and let the entire country down in ways which will cost us for a decade to come.

To use a teenager's growth as a comparison, they didn't feed their teen for five years while all other teens ate to grow. Now, at the time, the teen doesn't care one bit - they don't bother to look far enough ahead to see the opportunity they're missing. Catching up after that is almost impossible.

Money never sleeps

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1027718/

So far, we've had the following responses from the right wing on unemployment:

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

Unemployed is such a pejorative term. Let's instead use the term "recreationally enabled".

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

Volcanoes.

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

We all like cute puppies. Can we talk about making laws to protect them instead?

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

Flag flag flag flag flag flag flag flag flag flag flag flag flag... Anyone still here? Yes? Flag flag flag flag flag flag flag flag flag...

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

Can we blame God for this at all?

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

These things take time. It's like a fine wine, and John Key should know because he has got cellars full of the stuff.

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

"Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!"

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

Global warming.

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

Don't worry - National is on top of this issue, and their predictions are accurate. Bill English just last week predicted unemployment would not hit 7%, and he was right. We may not see unemployment below 7% for many years to come.

IT'S ALL LABOUR'S FAULT!!

^This is what happens when you mash a 50 year only mind and a 5 year old mind into one head.

fishy is displaying advanced symptoms of senility and it's only 1 year out of office

imagine what he'll be like in 9 years' time

perhaps he should climb Kilimanjaro or somewhere in the Andes or Nepal, perhaps our own southern alps (tour guide's inconvenient death notwithstanding) in our long parliamentary break

perhaps you should campaign against that long break as much as the perks of office your fellow travellers enjoy(ed) as much as Bill the English man