The Labour Market Statistics were released today, showing that unemployment has dropped to 5.3%. But while its (finally) a move in the right direction, there are still 133,000 unemployed - 28,000 more than when National took office.
When I started this series, it was out of a sense that unemployment statistics were a basic bullshit check on National's promises of prosperity. Six years on, its clear that they simply haven't delivered. There are more people out of work now than there were then. Sure, there was a financial crisis - but that ended four years ago. There were two earthquakes - but we're meant to be well into the "rebuild". And meanwhile, high unemployment just continues to drag on and on and on, while all the government does is make excuses.
New Zealanders expect more and deserve more than that. We need a government which will actually get people back into decent, high-paying jobs. National won't do that. Time for somebody who will.