Mike's Minute: The unemployment rate dazed the Government

It could have been a coordinated knife to the Government's heart.

On the day the unemployment rate went up, the Warehouse offered a real world example of the problem by announcing another 270 jobs would be added to the pile as they look to save and outsource and generally reorganise themselves.

DTNZ: Unemployment hits 5.3% as job market weakens and wage growth slows

New Zealand’s unemployment rate rose to 5.3% in the September quarter — its highest level in nearly nine years — as businesses froze hiring and wage growth slowed to a five-year low.

Lindsay Mitchell: Unemployment - Digging beneath the headline rate

The unemployment rate rose in the June quarter to 5.2 percent. For those who are interested, here's some finer detail behind the headline statistic.

While the media has latched on to the idea that the elderly are discriminated against in the workforce the stats don't support it. The highest unemployment rates are amongst the young: 15-19 year-olds at 23% and 20-24 year-olds at 9.8%.