Unemployment rate during each prime minister's tenure
Every prime minister since 1991, ranked by how the unemployment rate changed from their first day in office. Politare shows what happened during a tenure; it does not claim the office-holder caused it.
| # | Prime minister | In office | Total | Per year | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Christopher Luxon | 27 Nov 2023 – now | +1.8 pp Q3 2023 → Q3 2026 | +0.6 pp/yr | |
| 2 | John Key | 19 Nov 2008 – 12 Dec 2016 | +0.9 pp Q3 2008 → Q3 2016 | +0.1 pp/yr | |
| 3 | Jenny Shipley | 8 Dec 1997 – 10 Dec 1999 | 0.0 pp Q3 1997 → Q3 1999 | 0.0 pp/yr | |
| 4 | Bill English | 12 Dec 2016 – 26 Oct 2017 | −0.3 pp Q3 2016 → Q3 2017 | −0.3 pp/yr | |
| 5 |  Jacinda Ardern | 26 Oct 2017 – 25 Jan 2023 | −1.3 pp Q3 2017 → Q4 2022 | −0.2 pp/yr | |
| 6 | Jim Bolger | 2 Nov 1990 – 8 Dec 1997 from Q1 1991 | −2.8 pp Q1 1991 → Q3 1997 | −0.4 pp/yr | |
| 7 | Helen Clark | 10 Dec 1999 – 19 Nov 2008 | −2.9 pp Q3 1999 → Q3 2008 | −0.3 pp/yr |
Sorted by total, highest first. Every row is indexed to the last quarter complete before the first day in office ("from" marks a start that had to move because that period had no data, or because the period cut it); Levels are per cent changes, rates are differences in pp; "per year" compounds levels and divides rates. Tenures with under 12 months, or under three observations, are left out. % of labour force · Stats NZ Household Labour Force Survey via the OECD (infra-annual labour statistics), 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, quarterly · New Zealand data · as of Jul 2026.