The Prime Minister remains hopeful for a fall in unemployment this year.

Unemployment's reached a 10 year high of 5.4% - with Auckland's unemployment rate rising again to 6.4%.

Job numbers have increased, but that's been offset by more people joining or re-joining the labour market.

Chris Luxon told Mike Hosking that the economy's rebounding, and that should flow through to the job market soon.

He says there's always a lag effect - with unemployment being the last economic indicator to turn around.

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