Taranaki
Taranaki has long depended on oil and gas, petrochemicals and dairy. Waatea News (5 June 2026) and E tū (4 June 2026) reported that the Government's $6 million-a-year funding to Ara Ake, a Taranaki-based energy innovation centre, ends on 1 July 2026, with its functions moving to EECA. An E tū member described two years of redundancies in a row in Taranaki's energy sector. We did not verify other 2026 job losses, so check local news.
- Energy and engineering skills transfer to renewables, electricity networks, water and manufacturing maintenance.
- Dairy, meat and agriculture support jobs remain important.
- Ask your employer or union about retraining funds if your site is winding down.
Manawatū-Whanganui
- Palmerston North: education (Massey University), defence, food processing, logistics and health. Check current news for university restructures.
- Whanganui: the economy mixes farming, manufacturing and tourism. Check Stats NZ regional data for the current rate.
- Horowhenua and Tararua: farming, food processing and logistics.
- Ohakune and Ruapehu: tourism and the wider consequences of the 2024 Winstone Pulp closures (Tangiwai sawmill, near Ohakune).
Local help
- Email RedeploymentSupport@msd.govt.nz for MSD redeployment support.
- Venture Taranaki and local councils publish economic information. Check their sites.
- Chambers of Commerce in New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Whanganui.
- Iwi organisations run employment programmes. Ask Work and Income for referrals.
- Community Law and CAB offices across the region.
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.
Sources
- E tū: Taranaki workers left exposed as Government scraps Ara Ake (opens in a new tab)
- Waatea News: Taranaki's clean energy future dealt blow (opens in a new tab)
- Stats NZ: Unemployment rate at 5.6 percent in the June 2026 quarter (opens in a new tab)
- Work and Income: Redundancy support (opens in a new tab)
General information only. Confirm with the agency for your situation. Spotted something out of date? Email help@unemployed.nz.