The jobless rate rise to 5.3% in the September quarter is the highest since late 2016.
The central bank warned inflation in New Zealand was expected to be volatile in the near-term.
Former Climate Change Minister James Shaw and Treasury Secretary Iain Rennie speak at the NZ Economics Forum.
Economist Craig Renney critical about lack of action after unemployment rises to 5.1% in the December quarter.
Lower interest rates not filtering through to business optimism and costs just yet.
Productivity still a major issue that needs to be addressed, says chief economist Paul Conway.
New report shows extra income and savings still needed to live comfortably in retirement years, although about $500k will be sufficient for many.
The central bank is widely expected to deliver another 50bps OCR cut later next month.
A fall was expected in the December quarter, but data should not prevent another OCR cut next month.
Fast rate of change could cause discomfort for businesses that planned on a longer timescale than the three-year election cycle, said a report obtained by NBR under the OIA.