SA jobless rate increases – but at least we’re no longer the worst
South Australia’s jobless rate has increased but the state has lost its unwanted mantle as the worst-performing state for employment.
Shoppers in Rundle Mall. Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily
The Australian Bureau of Statistics employment data for August, released this morning, shows South Australia’s unemployment rate increased from 6.3% in July to 6.8% in August (seasonally adjusted).
However, a big jump in Tasmanian unemployment has seen the island state’s jobless rate top the nation, overtaking South Australia for the first time in over a year.
On the mainland South Australia remains the worst-performing state. South Australia became the worst-performing state for employment in May 2015 after Tasmania improved its position.
The more stable trend rate also shows Tasmania registering the worst unemployment rate in August, followed by SA. In trend terms, SA’s jobless rate dropped slightly.
Both South Australia and Tasmania registered increases in the participation rate (0.2% and 0.9% respectively) – the percentage of people in the job market.
Nationally, unemployment dropped from 5.7% in July to 5.6% in August.
The mixed figures come a week after Premier Jay Weatherill came under fire for telling a business lunch that South Australia’s unemployment rate was “trending well”.
Last Tuesday, Weatherill addressed a lunchtime gathering hosted by the Australian Institute of Company Directors, with attendees telling InDaily he put a positive spin on SA’s unemployment rate which, until today’s figures, had remained the highest in the nation for well over a year.
One said the Premier suggested if the jobless rate remained around 7 per cent by the end of next year it would be “cause for celebration”.
“There was literally a collective shaking of the head across the room in disbelief that we had a Premier celebrating the fact that we’re dwelling bottom of the ladder,” said another who was there.
State Employment Minister Kyam Maher today pointed out the statistics showed that around 9200 more people were employed in South Australia compared to the same time last year, while there were 10,300 fewer unemployed.
