May 2010

This factsheet reports key labour market information for Maori for the year to March 2010. All data is sourced from the Household Labour Force Survey released quarterly by Statistics New Zealand. Data is annualised to address sampling error and seasonal variation concerns.

In March 2010, 425,500 Maori were aged 15 years and over, of whom 66.8% were in the labour force while 33.2% were not in the labour force , due to such reasons as child rearing, retirement or studying. Those employed and unemployed are discussed in further detail below.

Summary of the Maori labour market for the year to March 2010

Long Description for Figure 1

Labour force participation

The labour force participation rate for Maori stood at 66.8% for the year to March 2010, which represents a 1.5 percentage point decrease over the past year and a 1.7 percentage point increase over the past five years. Compared with the participation rate for all people, which was 68.1% in March 2010, the Maori rate has decreased more sharply over the past year.

Labour force participation rates, 2005-2010

Data Table for Figure 2

Unemployment

The unemployment rate for Maori was 13.3% in the year to March 2010, which was 4.5 percentage points above its 2009 level, and 4.7 percentage points higher than its 2005 level. Compared with the unemployment rate for all people, which was 6.4% in March 2010, the Maori rate has increased more sharply

Unemployment rates, 2005-2010

Data Table for Figure 3

NEET

The rate of those Not in Education, Employment or Training (or NEET) is a key measure of youth disengagement. Among 15-24 year olds, as at March 2010, 19.8% of Maori males and 15.5% of Maori females were NEET, compared with 11.6% of all males and 9.8% of females in this age group. The NEET rate for Maori males experienced the highest rate of growth over the past year.

NEET rates, 2006-2010

Data Table for Figure 4

Employment

In March 2010, 246,200 Maori were in employment. Over the last five years, the employment rate of Maori decreased 1.5 percentage points from 59.4% in March 2005 to 57.9% in March 2010. The rate is below that for the total population, which stood at 63.8% in March 2010.

Employment rates, 2004-2009

Data Table for Figure 5

In the year to March 2010, the leading industries in which Maori worked were manufacturing (41,100 workers) and wholesale & retail (34,800 workers). Over the last five years, health and community services experienced the largest gain in Maori employment (up 48%), while transport & storage had the largest loss (down 24%). Over the last year, agriculture and mining had the largest gain in Maori employment (up 10%), while utilities and construction had the largest loss in Maori employment (down 20%).

Maori employment by industry

	Dec-04	Dec-08	Dec-09	Change 2008-2009	Change 2004-2009
Industry	(000)	(000)	(000)	%	%
Agriculture and Mining	21.0	18.6	20.6	10.3	-2.1
Manufacturing	42.5	39.8	41.1	3.1	-3.5
Utilities and Construction	21.1	26.6	21.2	-20.2	0.6
Wholesale & Retail	30.4	41.4	34.8	-15.9	14.6
Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants	12.3	12.6	11.1	-11.6	-9.8
Transport & Storage	15.4	14.0	11.6	-17.1	-24.3
Communication Services	5.4	4.8	4.2	-11.5	-21.4
Finance and Insurance	3.2	4.3	4.5	4.7	39.8
Property and Business Services	15.2	17.3	18.3	5.9	20.2
Education	20.6	22.6	22.2	-1.8	7.6
Health and Community Services	17.3	27.1	25.7	-5.0	48.5
Other Services	27.0	29.7	29.7	0.1	9.9
Total Employed (including Not Specified)	231.7	260.5	246.2	-5.5	6.2

In the year to March 2010, the most common occupational groups for Maori were plant & machine operators and assemblers (40,900 workers) and service & sales workers (40,200 workers). Over the last five years, legislators, administrators & managers experienced the largest gain in Maori employment (up 53%), while elementary occupations had the largest loss (down 21%). Over the last year, agriculture & fisheries workers had the largest gain in Maori employment (up 13%), while trade workers had the largest loss (down 15%).

Maori employment by occupation

	Dec-04	Dec-08	Dec-09	Change 2008-2009	Change 2004-2009
Industry	(000)	(000)	(000)	%	%
Legislators, Administrators & Managers	13.4	22.1	20.5	-7.0	53.2
Professionals	22.4	30.0	28.3	-5.7	26.3
Technicians & Associate Professionals	20.2	25.4	26.0	2.4	29.2
Clerks	26.2	28.0	26.9	-4.0	2.7
Service & Sales Workers	35.9	45.2	40.2	-11.0	12.1
Agriculture & Fisheries Workers	20.8	15.6	17.6	12.7	-15.5
Trade Workers	17.2	22.0	18.6	-15.3	8.4
Plant & Machine Operators and Assemblers	43.4	41.2	40.9	-0.7	-5.8
Elementary Occupations	31.6	29.1	24.9	-14.5	-21.3
Total Employed (including Not Specified)	231.7	260.5	246.2	-5.5	6.2

Labour market terms explained

Employment:

The number of people in work for one hour or more per week.

Employment rate:

The proportion of the working–age population that is employed.

Labour force:

The labour force consists of members of the working–age population who are classified as employed or unemployed (people in the labour force).

Labour force participation rate:

The proportion of the working–age population who are either employed or unemployed.

Not in the labour force:

Any person in the working–age population who is neither employed nor unemployed. This includes, for example, retired people, students and people at home with children.

NEET:

This measure refers to youth not engaged in education, employment and training. Youth who are not engaged in these activities are at risk of poor labour market outcomes. In this report, caregiving is deemed to be engagement and so is excluded from the way NEET is measured.

Unemployment:

The number of people in the working–age population who are without a paid job, are available for work and have actively sought work in the past four weeks or have a new job to start within the next four weeks.

Unemployment rate:

The proportion of the labour force that is unemployed.

Working–age population:

Usually resident population aged 15 years and over.

For more information contact analysis@dol.govt.nz

Next release: 5 August 2010