Northland, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne-Tairāwhiti: job market and local help

What we can verify

• Northland: Juken's Kaitāia veneer mill was closing by 21 August 2026 with about 60 jobs lost, after a regional biomass rescue plan did not win government support. The nearby Triboard mill (about 140 jobs) continues. HCA Magazine reported Northland filled jobs down 2.2 percent (1,591 jobs) in the year to June 2026.
• Hawke's Bay: we could not verify a current regional figure or specific 2026 closures. Horticulture, food processing and forestry processing are important employers, so check the latest news and Stats NZ regional data.
• Gisborne-Tairāwhiti: unemployment rose to over 6 percent in the September 2025 quarter, the first time since June 2021, and filled jobs held by residents fell 2.3 percent in the year to September 2025, according to Trust Tairāwhiti's quarterly economic monitor.

Where work tends to be found

• Horticulture: orchards, packhouses and vineyards (Hawke's Bay is a major apple, wine and vegetable region). Seasonal peaks in autumn.
• Pastoral farming, meat processing and contracting.
• Forestry harvesting, silviculture and log trucking in Northland and Tairāwhiti, though volumes depend on log prices.
• Health, aged care and social services, including iwi and Māori health providers.
• Infrastructure repair and recovery work after storms and weather events (check local councils and NZTA).
• Tourism and hospitality in the Bay of Islands and Hawke's Bay.

Local help

• Regional economic bodies, such as Northland NZ and Trust Tairāwhiti, publish local economic updates and have been involved in closure responses.
• Iwi and hapū organisations run employment and training schemes in many areas. Ask Work and Income for referrals.
• Work and Income service centres are spread across the regions. If travel is hard, call 0800 559 009.
• Email RedeploymentSupport@msd.govt.nz if you work for an employer making cuts.
• Regional Skills Leadership Groups no longer operate (disestablished 2024), so older workforce plans are guides to sectors only.
• Ask Work and Income whether a Transition to Work Grant could help with costs such as travel to interviews or starting work.

Work and Income offers redeployment support for people facing redundancy. Its page says you can contact them before your job ends, even if no decisions have been made. Support can include a named contact who helps with your CV and cover letter, looks for jobs or training, connects you with employers and arranges financial support between jobs.

• Email RedeploymentSupport@msd.govt.nz (the address Work and Income lists for redundancy support).
• Call Work and Income on 0800 559 009 to talk about payments such as Jobseeker Support or a Transition to Work Grant.
• Book a free career conversation with the Direct Career Service on 0800 222 733.