News

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.

This week the Government announced a series of proposed changes to health and safety laws. The changes are intended to clear up confusion, bring down the cost of compliance, and allow firms to focus on what matters most – keeping people safe. 

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says safe harbours of deemed compliance will be created to increase business and worker certainty about what they need to do to comply with their health and safety duties.

"From 1 April 2025, the adult minimum wage rate will increase from $23.15 to $23.50 per hour. The starting-out and training minimum wage rates will also increase from $18.52 to $18.80 per hour (80 per cent of the adult rate).

"New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.7 percent in the December 2024 quarter, following a 1.1 percent decrease in the September 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ on Friday

"The Government is proposing changes to procurement rules to make it easier for New Zealand businesses to win government contracts that are collectively worth more than $50 billion a year, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says.

"Changes are being made to the Active Investor Plus Visa from 1 April 2025 to help New Zealand  encourage growth and make investing in New Zealand more attractive.

"Old equipment repurposed by businesses must be safe to use, WorkSafe New Zealand says, following sentencing of a Rotorua company whose modified crane became a weapon that changed the life of a teenage contractor.

A new pilot programme connecting high school students with New Zealand manufacturers has launched, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Chris Penk has announced.