More jobs in the Bay over winter

Unemployment in Hawke's Bay has fallen dramatically in the June quarter to 6.2 per cent after the March quarter's 8.5 per cent, according to the latest Household Labour Force Survey from Statistics New Zealand.

"While the March quarter was high, we always thought that was an aberration," Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce chief executive Murray Douglas said.

"However, we have now resumed the steady downward movement which in a two-year period has reduced unemployment by some 2 per cent of the labour force so we are now lower than the national rate."

Seasonally adjusted compared to 12 months ago, the employment rate in Hawke's Bay/Gisborne has risen 1.7 per cent per cent with the number of people employed increasing by nearly 800. This growth is also reflected in the increased percentage of the population in paid employment.

"We are not out of the woods by any means and many of the jobs are part time, but it is good news indeed," Mr Douglas said.

"We have to recover from a long period of recession but it is the right trend to finally see develop."