Significant Fall in Unemployment Welcomed

Palmerston North Mayor Jono Naylor has welcomed news of a fall in unemployment in the Manawatu region.

Figures released from the Ministry of Social Development show a 20% fall in the number of people registered for the unemployment benefit in March compared with March 2011.

In March 2012 there were 1,098 people registered for the unemployment benefit in the region, a decline of 268 people from March 2011.

Nationally, the number of people registered for the unemployment benefit declined by 11%.

"The result is not a surprise because Paymark data has been showing strong economic growth in the region since November" Mayor Jono Naylor said.

"Paymark expenditure data gives us a great indicator of economic growth in the region.  Expenditure in the region has been increasing at over twice the national growth rate for the last five months."

The proportion of the working age population that registered for the unemployment benefit was 1.2% in the region (0.8% in Manawatu District and 1.4% in Palmerston North) compared with 1.5% for New Zealand.

Tararua District had an even larger fall in unemployment, with a 40% drop in the number of benefits from March last year.

There was also an encouraging decline in the number of people receiving the sickness benefit in the Manawatu region, with a decline of 103 people (8%) from March 2011.  The number of people in the region on the domestic purposes and invalids benefits was unchanged from March 2011.