The last time youth unemployment was this high was in 1992.

1992?

Wasn't that the previous National government led by Jim Bolger, with Ruth Richardson as Minister of Finance? And didn't she implement a slash and burn economic policy in her "Mother of All Budgets" that resulted in unemployment reaching over 10%?!?!

Why, yes. It was.

Are we starting to see a pattern develop here, folks?

Totally agree with Phill and Garbage #121. We really need to revisit some of the policies around our immigration laws for NZ. The party with the best solutions to our voes in this regard, will win the 2011 Election. Winston is right with his slogan NZFirst. As for our Kiwi youths, the competitive edge is just not there with Gen.Y. To think this party generation etc...will be running our country in the next 10 or so years (if they're not already). God help us all.

Hi, I'd like to offer my support to Glenn -frustrated parent of pothead, dole bludging, drinker child. Glenn you sound like a really onto-it guy and supportive person and parent and I think any critique of you or your parenting on this blog is unfounded based on what you've written.

As an ex-teacher I would like to confirm -and research supports this, that in the current society, there are increasingly powerful influences, namely electronic media being exerted on impressionable young people. In addition to this peer pressure is shown to be more powerful than parental influence during adolescence, which is those early and primary years are so essential for laying a strong foundation.

I can't imagine how hard it must be as a parent to see your kid not doing well. I have six degrees and diplomas and have worked -part and full-time for 17years yet my father deems me a failure who has messed up their life. Er.... don't quite get his logic there, yet you certainly sound like you've done everything in your power to assist your son ranging from helping to tough love. Now, how about doing nothing. Or -go a step further and do as some parents are forced to do, sell the family home, move towns or countries and more or less leave him to his own devices. As long as that safety net's there in some way he may feel entitled to fall back on it. I just wanted to say I think you sound like an amazing supportive parent and to take any criticisms of your parenting by others with a grain of salt.

So if young people aren't getting jobs, and us older ones aren't (I'm in my 50s and have all but given up looking after far too many knockbacks,) then who is? According to a recent stuff.co article http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4507890/Perfect-population-storm-on-horizon we have a gaping black hole where the 20-35 y/os should be, so who is taking all the jobs? That leaves a group of 36-50 y/os doing all the work, yeah right! Amazing what one can do with statistics isn't it . . . .

To Talltimber (#110) I suspect you have never travelled to a 2nd or 3rd world country otherwise you surely wouldn’t make the ridiculous claim that we live in a 2nd world country. The last unemployment figures for NZ was actually 6.4% (not 10% as you state) compared to the US 9.4%, UK 7.9% and Australia 5.2% NZ isn’t faring too badly. However given you are obviously one of our ‘best and brightest’ as evidenced by your illuminating analysis of the New Zealand economy. I am sure you will be promptly ushered into a high paying job upon arrival in Australia as opposed to adding to their 5.2% unemployment figures. Good luck in Australia mate.

We could try reducing the number of work permits and residencies we give out to foreigners. That should help in eliminating the experienced candidates and forcing the employers to take that chance on someone inexperiences, as there would be no one else to choose from. It scares me how much that sounds exactly like Winston Peters' approach, heaven forbid!

I think there are many reasons that contribute to this:

1) Summer time = no university = unengaged students = higher unemployment rate in youths.

2) Generation Y being less ambitious, less mature, more lazy, showing less social and personal responsibility, and less likely to seek employment because they may actually have to work for money.

3) Government and Universities trying to augment their finances via a "bums on seats" approach which attracts low-quality youths who are only interested in the social aspects of university and the student allowance and interest-free loans but not the main point of university which is to get an education.

4) The devaluation of education in our society - it is more cool to hang out with friends, listen to the latest music, get a tattoo/piercing, do drugs, drink, smoke, have babies, go to parties, hit the pubs/nightclubs, play on the Xbox/Wii/computer, join a gang than be "geeky", "nerdy", a "workaholic", a "tall poppy" and actually get somewhere in life.

5) The arrogant attitude that Kiwis take when it comes to low-paying, menial, labour-intensive, or repetitive jobs e.g. fruit-picking which means that recent immigrants with poor English skills and little local work experience as vastly more likely to be employed than native Kiwi youths.

6) Bad/permissive/neglectful parenting habits and accompanying social environments that encourage young people to do "whatever they like as long as they're happy" without examining the negative consequences associated when a bad choice is made.

7) Not enough emphasis at school on vocational subjects and life skills needed to succeed in the real world e.g. how to get a job, create a CV, money/time management, basic financial education, career guidance, staying in school longer etc.

8) Poor choice of subject in uni e.g "B whatever you wanna be eh (A)" degrees with majors with no real world employment potential. I mean, how many businesses would want to employ a student who had a major in Ancient Greek with a minor in Gender Studies?

9) Lack of cultural emphasis on education (point 4), success, career choice, ambition, and wealth creation in NZ. That is why a large percentage of students in the professional courses in University such as Dentistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering are of Asian/Indian/other ethnic descent where Pakeha students dominate the Arts courses, the latter of which is related to point 8.

10) Government policies around the dole and other forms of benefit that provide too much of an incentive for disaffected and vulnerable youth to get hooked on and see this as a viable alternative to actually getting a real job and becoming a productive member of society.

There are many other reasons but these should provide some food for thought.

Welcome to the real N.Z. the land of appalling wages & substandard working conditions. We have the lowest wages & conditions in the Western world. It will never change until People get off their chuff & do something about it. No wonder anyone of any intelligence is fleeing overseas, as there is nothing here.So there you go Folks, if you want a decent living, go to Australia. All the money & perks here go to the oligarchy. Barry.

@#112 Lauz. Your right. I know men aged older then 24 that find it difficult to organise themselves and put in a decent weeks work. You give them simple instructions and they can't even follow them. A third form student could do a better job than them, yet they are not embarassed by this?

And get this ... the Boss doesn't give a damn either. He's just as bloody lazy and incompetant, but has still managed to keep his job.

Bill+ #116 04:14 pm Jan 07 2011 and yet we are short of workers to work in manual labour in the orchards of the south island - what should we do?, i wonder.............

Temper your greed and pay wages that will attract labour - what else.