National's Economic Choices Drive Unemployment to 11-Year High

Unemployment in New Zealand has risen to 5.6 percent, marking an 11-year high under National's economic management. This increase is attributed to Christopher Luxon's policies, which have led to a significant rise in unemployment since he took office.

According to Labour finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds, the number of unemployed Kiwis has increased by 48,000, with a total of 171,000 people out of work. This represents more than the entire population of Tauranga, highlighting the severity of the issue.

The unemployment rate for Māori and Pasifika communities remains significantly higher than the national average at 10.8% and 11.6%, respectively, exacerbating existing disparities.

Labour has criticized National's decision to cut public sector jobs, cancel infrastructure projects, and scrap investment that supported business and innovation, which they claim have deliberately made things worse.