In the wake of the grim news about factory closures and lay-offs over recent months, the unemployment figures were only to be expected, writes Bryan Gould.

Have your say. Workers' unions have been quick to write off the Government's plan for a new, low, starting pay, while business leaders say it will help create jobs.

New Zealand's unemployment rate has risen unexpectedly, increasing to 7.3 per cent - the highest since 1999.

Solid Energy is largely to blame for the "dumbing down'' of mining industry standards that allowed the Pike River disaster to happen, MP Damien O'Connor says.

The wages which need to be reduced are those of the CEOs and other high-level management positions, writes Ryan Wood. "A maximum wage also has a trickle-down effect."

Thousands of young New Zealanders are leaving for Australia because of a failing job market, says Labour's finance spokesman David Parker.

This month's toll of job losses is striking - but it's a reflection of a slowing of the Chinese economy. It's time to look for jobs that have a future.

A woman who admitted falsely claiming more than $90,000 in benefits said she wanted security for her children.

Plenty of work in Perth CBD and in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Kawerau has one of the country's highest proportion of beneficiaries, with 1725 of its 6921 residents receiving some kind of assistance.

Toby Manhire says slash a parent's benefit and you hurt their children - children who, chances are, already have it extremely tough. To argue otherwise is fantasyland.

Brian Fallow on youth unemployment following recent announcements of lay-offs and redundancies.