Public administration added over 20,000 filled positions annually, according to Stats NZ
The 2023 General Elections fuelled the surge in filled jobs in New Zealand for October 2023, according to data from Stats NZ.
Filled jobs include the number of full-time and part-time employees, as well as working proprietors who employ staff in New Zealand. This is calculated by averaging weekly jobs paid throughout the month, based on tax data.
For October 2023, Stats NZ revealed that filled jobs rose by 13,046 when seasonally adjusted compared to September 2023.
“The increase in filled jobs was driven by the public administration and safety industry, which includes public administration, defence, public order, regulatory, and safety services,” Stats NZ said in a media release.
Annually, there were additional 23,442 filled jobs from October 2022 to October 2023 recorded in the public administration and safety industry.
Sue Chapman, business employment insights manager, said the recent 2023 election was the “biggest driver” for this increase.
“The Electoral Commission employers around 20,000 people over the election period. That’s according to Work at the 2023 General Election on the Electoral Commission’s website,” Chapman said.
Increase by sector
Meanwhile, other sectors that also recorded over 5,000 additional filled jobs between October 2022 and 2023 include:
- Health care and social assistance (13,683)
- Accommodation and food services (7,839)
- Transport, portal, and warehousing (7,074)
- Education and training (5,487)
Sectors that registered a decrease in filled jobs include:
- Administrative and support services (-828)
- Professional, scientific, and technical services (-1,669)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing (-2,475)
The findings come as previous reports indicate that hiring activity is picking up as employers prepare for a busy summer season.
The increase in hiring also defied previous expectations that employers would dial down on recruitment in anticipation of election results.
“Businesses are beginning to plan for a busy lead-in to summer with demand for workers rising for the first time in five months,” said Rob Clark, SEEK NZ country manager, in September.
