NZ: Stats show that manufacturing industry is shrinking

The number of filled jobs in manufacturing decreased by 8060, or 3.4 percent, between 2005 and 2007.

SNZ said the manufacturing industry was the only industry to show a decrease in filled jobs for two successive years.

A decline in jobs in the textiles, clothing, footwear and leather manufacturing sub-industry was the key driver of the decline in filled jobs in the manufacturing industry.

The construction industry added 5990 filled jobs from the September 2006 year to September 2007 year and 42,390 jobs over five years.

The construction industry went from being the ninth-largest industry to the sixth-largest industry over that five year period, which was prior to the current downturn in the property market.