Māori Unemployment Soars to 11.5% Amid Worsening Economic Conditions

Māori unemployment in New Zealand has reached a staggering 11.5%, leaving many questioning where the economic growth promised by the government is.

This alarming figure, coupled with food insecurity affecting 51% of Māori households and youth unemployment at devastating levels, paints a bleak picture of the country's struggling economy.

Massey University economist Professor Matt Roskruge argues that withdrawing public investment while infrastructure deteriorates risks exacerbating the economic situation, particularly for regions already struggling with unemployment and underinvestment.

Roskruge suggests that New Zealand should be borrowing and investing during an economic downturn, rather than cutting public services and delaying infrastructure projects. He believes there is enormous underused economic capacity in the country, including thousands of people who want more work, and a credible plan to invest, grow, and rebuild is needed.