The increasing Asian ownership of restaurants and cafes in Auckland is giving Asians an advantage over English-speaking European job seekers, a Massey University sociologist says.

The number of sole parents on the domestic purposes benefit dropped by 5000 last year - a drop Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is attributing partly to her new policy requiring sole parents to get jobs when their youngest child turns five.

Many have been brought up on a "follow your dream" diet only to find out too late that it doesn't always result in a job. An injection of realism is long overdue.

The decline in mortgagee sales of residential properties has been interpreted by a bank economist as a welcome sign of an improvement in the economy.

Fuelled by the highest rate of unemployment in 13 years, the queues snaking along the pavements outside the Auckland City Mission have nothing festive about them.

Paul Little: Send jobless to Oz? A poor solution

The NZIER shadow board believes Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler should leave the official cash rate on hold at 2.5 per cent on Thursday.

More people lose their jobs in the lead-up to Christmas than in other times of the year, as employers take stock and plan for the year ahead.

Redundant worker Kimberley Inu has won more than a month's backpay after Work and Income's call centre mistakenly told her she could not get the dole.

New Zealand's services sector grew at its fastest recorded pace last month as sales activity rallied, ending a recent horror run of data.

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.