The New Zealand Workforce: 1950-2000

Abstract

In this paper, the author presents an historical perspective on the New Zealand labour market, placing the present employment crisis into its post-war perspective. The structural recession which commenced in the mid-1980s has placed huge stresses on the working age population. Just as the 1930s depression had a long-term impact on female workforce participation, the present crisis can be expected to permanently modify labour supply trends. The analysis focuses on income effects, with particular reference to responses to expectations of and changes in household incomes.