Fiona Alpass and Ruth Mortimer

Massey University

Palmerston North

The authors would like to thank the following people for their contributions in the preparation of this report:

• Carol Beaumont, Secretary, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
• Dr Herbert Biggs, Senior Research Consultant CARRS-Q, Queensland University of Technology
• Barbara Burton, Legal Adviser, Business New Zealand
• Professor Jenny Carryer, Clinical Chair of Nursing, Massey University and MidCentral District Health Board
• Associate Professor Judith Davey, Director, New Zealand Institute of Research on Ageing
• Associate Professor Annette Huntingdon, Chairperson, Nursing Council of New Zealand and Principal Investigator (NZ team) of the Nurses and Midwives E-cohort Study
• Lyn Harris, Training Manager, Employers' and Manufacturers' Association (Central)
• Associate Professor Claire Massey, Director, New Zealand Centre for SME Research
• Robyn Rendall, Special Advisor, State Services Commission
• Dr Grant Scobie, Treasury

Disclaimer: The Department of Labour has made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this report is reliable, but makes no guarantee of its accuracy or completeness and does not accept any liability for any errors. The Department may change the contents of this report at any time without notice.

© Crown copyright 2007

This material is Crown copyright unless otherwise stated and may be reproduced free of charge without requiring specific permission. This is subject to it being reproduced accurately and not being used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. The source and copyright status should be acknowledged. The permission to reproduce Crown copyright protected material does not extend to any material in this report that is identified as being the copyright of a third party.

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ISBN 0-478-28087-4 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: Demographic Changes to the New Zealand Population and Workforce

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Spatial Ageing

1.3 The Ageing Workforce

1.4 Age Dependency Ratio

1.5 Ethnic Composition of the Workforce

1.6 Gender and the Workforce

1.7 International Workforce Trends

1.8 Summary

PART 2: Implications of the Ageing Population for the Labour Market

2.1 Introduction

2.2 International Comparisons

2.3 The New Zealand Situation

2.4 Ageing Occupations in New Zealand

2.5 65+ Workers

2.6 Summary

PART 3: Older Workers - Emerging Issues

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Maximising Human Capital

3.3 Discrimination

3.4 Myths, Stereotypes and Attitudes

3.5 Positive Features of Older Workers

3.6 Factors Affecting Workforce Participation

3.7 Workforce Withdrawal

3.8 Extended Workforce Participation

3.9 Encouraging Workforce Participation

3.10 Other Sources of Labour

3.11 Summary

PART 4: Research Challenges

4.1 Introduction

4.2 The Issues

CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES

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