News

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says amendments to the Employment Relations Act will improve labour market flexibility and help businesses to grow, innovate, and employ with confidence and certainty.

Business employment data includes filled jobs and gross earnings, with breakdowns by industry, sex, age, region, and territorial authority area, using a combination of data from two different Inland Revenue sources: the employer monthly schedule (EMS) and payday filing.

As part of broader health and safety reforms, WorkSafe will significantly refocus from an enforcement agency to one that engages early to support businesses and individuals to manage their critical risks, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says.

Employment indicators provide an early indication of changes in the labour market. 

Key facts: 

Changes in the seasonally adjusted filled jobs for the April 2025 month (compared with the March 2025 month) were:

The Coalition Government’s second Budget has landed, attempting to strike a balance between responsible spending and investment in business growth.

The Government is removing tax roadblocks to investment, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. 

Tomorrow the coalition Government of National, ACT & New Zealand First will announce Budget 2025.

The task for the Government is to walk a line that ensures fiscal responsibility, while still investing in measures that will help New Zealanders get ahead.

The Government has announced changes to the Equal Pay Act. 

The Government is committed to maintaining a process to raise and resolve pay equity claims and these changes aim to make the process workable and sustainable. 

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.1% in the March 2025 quarter, unchanged from last quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ last week. 

In the March 2025 quarter: 

Employment indicators provide an early indication of changes in the labour market. 

Changes in the seasonally adjusted filled jobs for the March 2025 month (compared with the February 
2025 month) were:

The electronic card transactions (ECT) series covers debit, credit, and charge card transactions with New Zealand-based merchants. The series can be used to indicate changes in consumer spending and economic activity.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says changes are coming to support freedom of choice and reduce the burden on employers when new employees start in a role.