As the economy fell into recession, the number of jobless New Zealanders rose nearly 37 per cent last year, topping 100,000 for the first time since 2002, according to official figures released Thursday.
With 105,000 workers idle, the unemployment rate rose steadily throughout the year to reach 4.6 per cent, Statistics New Zealand said, reporting its quarterly household labour force survey, dpa reported.
Economists have tipped the jobless rate to reach 7 per cent by early next year despite economic stimulus measures announced by the new centre-right government elected in November.
The figures showed indigenous Maori workers worst affected, with 9.6 per cent of them jobless in the December quarter, followed by 7.8 per cent of Pacific islanders and 6.3 per cent of Asians.
The unemployment rate for the dominant ethnic European population was 3.2 per cent.