How does New Zealand compare? Some international comparisons of disaggregated unemployment data

Abstract

This paper describes the underlying pattern of New Zealand's unemployment experience (to the extent that the very limited data permit) and compares it with the pattern in Australia, Norway, the UK and USA. It is shown that although New Zealand's unemployment rate is low by international standards, the distribution of unemployment is more inequitable and that the actual unemployment rates for some sub-groups in New Zealand are approaching, and at times exceeding, unemployment rates for equivalent sub-groups in the other four countries.