Wellington - The unemployment rate in New Zealand, which has been officially in recession since early last year, has reached a six-year high of 5 per cent, according to figures released Thursday.

The unemployment rate increased in the three months to March for the fifth consecutive quarter, Statistics New Zealand reported.

The jobless total rose by 35 per cent, or 30,000 people, over the last 12 months to reach 115,000.

The figures showed that unemployment was much worse among ethnic minority workers than the majority European population, which had 3.8 per cent out of work.

Just over 13 per cent of Pacific island workers were unemployed and 11.9 per cent of indigenous Maoris.

The Ministry of Social Development reported earlier in the week that more than a quarter of all Maoris of working age, 18-64, were receiving welfare benefits, compared with 8.6 per cent of the rest of workers.