UPDATED 5.26PM The Government is being urged to do more to decrease levels of unemployment.

New figures show unemployment is at 5.1 percent - down 0.1 percent on the previous quarter.

Council of Trade Unions Economist Bill Rosenberg said no matter how you look at the figures, the figure should be as low as 3.3 percent as it was in 2007.

He said we are ranked number 11 in the OECD for unemployment, which is nothing to shout about.

"If, as the Government says, we're one of the fastest growing economies in the OECD, we should be up near one or two as we were in the 2000s."

Mr Rosenberg said there are many things the Government could be doing to bring the figure down.

He said the Government could be controlling immigration, investing on infrastructure programmes, or taking its foot off the throat of the public service, in order to bring the figure down.

In releasing the data, Statistics New Zealand noted that more than 12 percent of the working age population is "under-utilised", while Northland's unemployment rates are the highest, at ten percent.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said it shows the 5.1 percent figure is totally wrong.

"The reality is if you get one hour's work a week, you're off the unemployment figures. Now how specious is that?"

Mr Peters said we need an economic plan for the regions, not just Auckland.

He said we should be building on our export wealth by adding value to log and dairy exports, because currently, our export markets are adding the value and reaping the reward.

Meanwhile, the Government is predicting a further fall in unemployment.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said the Government wants the unemployment figure down in the four percent mark.

He said job growth is getting better over time, so they're hoping to hit the fours within the next few quarters.