Work and Income statistics indicate the district's unemployment rate is about 0.3% at present, up from about 0.08% recorded during the same time last year.
Central Otago District Council business development manager Jonathan Gadd sourced updated figures from the Ministry of Social Development service, which indicated 27 employment-aged people did not have jobs in the district as of March 31.
About 9000 people of the estimated 17,000 population were considered suitable for work, based on statistics released in a Business and Economic Research Ltd (Berl) report concluded midway through last year, he said.
Mr Gadd included his findings in the council's monthly activities report for March.
"There are only 27 unemployed people in Central Otago, of whom 16 are based in Alexandra, four in Cromwell, five in the Maniototo, and two in the Teviot Valley.
While there is no doubt the economy is not as strong as 12 months ago and business activity has quietened, there is no need to talk about the end of the world as we know it," his report stated.
When contacted by the Otago Daily Times yesterday, Mr Gadd said he wanted to counter negative media coverage about the recession.
"I'm not trying to say everything's sunshine and light, but I feel there's been a lot of negative reporting about how bad things are and I wanted to make a point that, at least in Central Otago, there are things still going well, especially in our horticulture, agriculture, and viticulture industries," he said.
Mr Gadd said when attending the recent job summit in Dunedin, it became apparent employment rates south of Waitaki were favourable compared with those in the North Island, particularly Auckland.
"We are reasonably well insulated, due to our main industries and our local economy is bearing very well," he said.
Work and Income public relations officer Kathy Gibbs said figures for the yearly quarter ending March 31 would be available next week.
Job facts
Numbers of working-aged (18-64 years) unemployment benefit recipients as of December 2008
•Alexandra: 7
•Balclutha: 143
•Dunedin: 900
•Gore: 24
•Invercargill: 686
•Mosgiel: 40
•Oamaru: 107
•Queenstown: 2
•Timaru: 220
Source: Work and Income
