Hon Parekura Horomia
Minister of Mäori Affairs
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment

11 April 2007 /
Media Statement

Maori unemployment drops below 10,000

The number of Maori on the unemployment benefit has plummeted below 10,000 for the first time in years, says Associate Social Development and Employment Minister Parekura Horomia.

There were 44,000 Maori on an unemployment benefit in December 1999 and in March that number had dropped to 9,902 - a 78 per cent drop.

"Not only have unemployment benefit numbers dropped but the unemployment rate for Maori has more than halved since 1999. Now 7.9 per cent of Maori are unemployed compared to 16.6 per cent in December 1999."

Mr Horomia welcomed the decrease in Maori unemployment and said he was particularly pleased by the decline in the number of young unemployed Maori. "The number of 18 and 19 year old Maori on an unemployment benefit is just 605. This is a 90 per cent reduction since December 1999 when numbers were over 6,000."

There have also been major declines in long-term unemployment for Maori. In December 1999 there were over 20,000 Maori on a benefit for longer than one year. Now the figure stands at 3,700 - an 82 percent reduction.

"The Government’s current employment policies and its Working for Families package are having an impact on Maori families and have been key drivers in making work pay for New Zealand families," said Mr Horomia.

ENDS

Stats as at March 07

Dec-99 / Mar-00 / Mar-06 / Mar-07 / Percentage change Dec 99 to Mar 07 / Percentage change Mar 06 to Mar 07

Total Working Age / 401,415 / 365,272 / 283,584 / 265,747 / -34% / -6%

Total UB / 161,128 / 140,157 / 44,549 / 28,845 / -82% / -35%

LTU over 1 year / 70,438 / 66,921 / 16,891 / 12,226 / -83% / -28%

Age 18-19 UB / 15,855 / 14,486 / 4,113 / 1,566 / -90% / -62%

Maori UB / 44,378 / 38,625 / 15,832 / 9,902 / -78% / -37%

Maori 18-19 UB / 6,276 / 5,169 / 1,890 / 605 / -90% / -68%

Maori LTU over 1 year / 20,598 / 19,045 / 5,416 / 3,711 / -82% / -31%

Pacific Island UB / 12,317 / 11,723 / 3,867 / 2,568 / -79% / -34%

Pacific Island 18-19 UB / 1,544 / 1,420 / 402 / 194 / -87% / -52%

Total DPB / 110,285 / 109,681 / 103,362 / 97,142 / -12% / -6%

SB / 32,870 / 32,133 / 46,072 / 47,862 / 46% / 4%

IB / 52,195 / 53,196 / 74,401 / 76,619 / 47% / 3%

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