Too early to predict employment growth

Press, 21 November 1987, Page 9

Too early to predict employment growth

Political reporter The Minister of Employment, Mr Goff, yesterday said that the household labour force survey contained some positive news, but it was still too early to predict sustainable improvement in employment The drop in those employed from the June quarter was the normal seasonal movement for winter, he said. Since the September, 1986, survey, the total number employed had risen by 6600 or 0.4 per cent Women had been the main beneficiaries of this rise. The number of women in full-time employment increased by 24,700 (6.1 per cent) during the last quarter or

8500 (2.0 per cent) for the full year. Male employment had grown by 3100 (0.4 per cent) in the quarter but declined by 11,700 (1.4 per cent) during the September year. The survey continued to show a change in employment patterns, with growth in the tertiary sector at the expense of the primary and secondary sector, Mr Goff said.

• The survey showed that 113,600 people were now out of work in New Zealand, said the Opposition’s associate spokesman on statistics, Mr Jim Gerard, yesterday. This figure comprised the official figure of 63,000, and the 50,300 people who were jobless,

but did not meet the criteria for being unemployed, he said.

Mr Gerard also said it was alarming that the number employed in manufacturing had decreased by 13,300. “This clearly illustrates the Government’s abject failure to recognise the importance of the productive base of the New Zealand economy.” New Zealanders would now look to this sector, rather than the finance and investment sector, to produce the real wealth for New Zealand. The figures painted a dismal picture for employment and clearly demonstrated the failure of Rogemomics, Mr Gerard said.

Survey, page 3