Northland jobless rate jumps sharply in three months

In just three months, Northland's jobless rate climbed from 5.1 to 8.8 percent — the biggest jump of any region, Stuff reported. Auckland's rate stayed at 6.5 percent. Nationwide, 5.6 percent of workers were jobless, the highest in 11 years and worse than experts expected, Stats NZ and 1News said. It is too early to tell if Northland's rise is permanent.