The number of people entering part-time employment has failed to offset the rise in full-time casualties
By Jayne McIntyre | December 8, 2011
The number of people entering part-time employment has failed to offset the rise in full-time casualties, with new figures pointing to a slight increase in Australia’s jobless rate.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today announced a rise of 0.1 percent in the unemployment rate to 5.3 percent.
The number of people employed fell 6300 to just under 11.5 million in November, in seasonally adjusted terms. The ABS reports 39,900 full-time workers were shown the door last month, while the number of part-time staff rose by 33,600.
The increase takes the number of part-time workers to 3.4 million, with full-time staff numbering 8.026 million. Nationally, the ABS says the number people unemployed increased 9,400 to 635,800.
The national increase in the jobless rate reflects the situation in Queensland, where the rate edged up by 0.1 percent as another 1000 joined the unemployment queue.
Despite the rise taking the rate to 5.8 percent, the Queensland Government is spruiking the result as a win toward its 2009 election commitment of creating 100,000 new jobs in the state.
Premier Anna Bligh says the government has 7,500 more jobs to create by the end of March to reach the six-figure target.
“We have seen 92,500 new Queensland jobs since March 2009, as we’ve stared down external pressure from the GFC and recent economic uncertainty in Europe,” Bligh says.
“We set the target high to create 100,000 net new jobs this term and we are poised to deliver on that commitment.”