Jobless numbers boosted in July

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 1

Jobless numbers boosted in July

PETER LUKE,

By

The chill wind of winter recession continued to bite deeply in July, carrying registered unemployment up another 5801 to 119,554. More than one in every 12 of the workforce are now registered as unemployed, according to the latest Labour Department total given today.' This national figure of 8.9 per cent was fuelled in July by big increases in Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. There were almost 1000 more jobless in Christchurch in July, compared with the previous month. The figures include Rangiora and Ashburton. There were 13,425 registered as unemployed in July compared with 12,458 the previous month. If those on training programmes, partly funded and fully subsidised jobs are included, the national monthly figure rises to 143,207, or 10.7 per cent of the workforce, Since April this , year, registered unemployment has risen 18 per cent, from 100,935. The jobless queue rose 5217 in May, 7601 in June and 5801 in July. There are 35.6 per cent more unemployed now than in July last year, when the jobless total was 88,159.

The Minister of Employment, Mr Goff, said the unemployment level was "unacceptable” and was a result of recession and significant economic restructuring. These would continue to produce high unemployment throughout the year. Forecasts of unemployment range as high as 200,000, and include the Reserve Bank prediction of about 141,000 jobless by March, before job losses begin to level out. A recent Statistics Department Household Labour Force survey shows that manufacturing has been a main source of job losses — down 11 per cent or 34,100 jobs in the June year. Mr Goff said yesterday that the economic changes needed to ensure growth were already taking place. These included lower inflation and interest rates. He said that $4l million had already been allocated in the Budget to an employment package. . But the Opposition spokesman on employment, Mr Winston Peters, said the July figures were a scandal. He called on Mr Goff to alter his policies or resign. Mr Peters condemned the fact that 13 of New Zealand’s 22 employment districts had registered unemployment of more than 10 per cent.

The figures show that the Christchurch district, at 9 per cent, is the only South Island district to have single-digit unemployment. In total the South Island has an unemployment rate of 10.7 per cent. This is comparable with the provincial areas of the North Island* Registered unemployed (excluding vacation workers) by districts at the end of July were: Whangarei, 7420 (7336 in June), 15.5 per cent of the labour force; Takapuna, 1121 (995), 1.5; Auckland, 10,457 (9801), 5.7; Manukau, 10,049 (9473), 8.4; Hamilton, 10,920 (10,623), 9.8; Tauranga, 3211 (3009), 9.8; Rotorua, 9137 (8768), 15.3; Gisborne, 2492 (2541), 14.3; Napier, 3193 (2978), 12.4; Hastings, 3777 (3600), 13.7; New Plymouth 4618 (4479), 10.9; Wanganui, 3375 (3265), 11.6; Palmerston North, 5023 (4741), 8.9; Masterton, 1566 (1705), 9.1; Lower Hutt, 2524 (2271), 4.4; Wellington, 4611 (4375), 4.7; Blenheim, 1571 (1559), 11.1; Nelson, 2985 (2890), 11.0; Greymouth, 1766 (1829), 13.3; Christchurch, 13,425 (12,458), 9.0; Timaru, 2621 (2518), 12.5; Dunedin, 8236 (7698), 11.7; Invercargill, 5456 (4841), 13.0.