Question on May Unemployment Figures

Extract from Hansard

Legislative Council
7 June 2001

Mike Elliott
Leader Australian Democrats
Member of the Legislative Council

Parliament Index
2001 Autumn Sitting Index
Browse by Subject
Search all Democrats material
About the SA Parliament
Hansard on line

The Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Treasurer, representing the Minister for Employment and Training, a question about employment in South Australia.

The Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT: Since December 1993 full-time employment in South Australia has remained substantially static. In 1993 there were 467 000 full-time jobs. It now stands at 471 100 jobs, an increase overall of about 4 000 jobs. Most of the employment growth has occurred in the part-time casual category where the increase has been approximately 35 000 additional jobs. In fact, according to the trend figures, in January 1995 there were some 2 000 more people in full-time work in South Australia than there are today.

When one looks at participation rates since 1993, one sees that the national participation rate has actually improved by .6 per cent, while that in South Australia has deteriorated by 1.6 per cent. I ask the minister: what plans does the government have to try to increase employment in the full-time category-which, of course, many people would prefer instead of casual and part time-and what plans does the government have to bring us back towards the national figures in terms of participation rates, which have dropped away markedly and not just on the basis of changes in age profile?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer): I did not get all of the question and the explanation, but I am assuming that part of the question followed on from the honourable member's Supply Bill speech last night. From my recollection, and I will need to check the Hansard record, the honourable member referred to out-dated participation rate figures for South Australia. I guess that it served his purpose to do so-

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: No; last month's figures were not 59 per cent, as I understand it. Anyway, the figures I heard last night quoted by the honourable member were 59-

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: The participation rate, according to Treasury advice I have just received, is 60.6 per cent. There is an increase in the participation rate to 60.6 per cent, so I am not sure to what the honourable member is referring. Whatever the lowest figure is, the honourable member will try to pick it. I am sure that the honourable member would have been slashing his wrists today, because full-time employment, I am told (I have not had a chance to look at it), actually increased by 6 600 jobs in South Australia. I did not quite hear that in the explanation from the Hon. Mr Elliott.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: The seasonally adjusted South Australian unemployment rate remains static at 7.5 per cent. As I understand it, the national figures increased. The Hon. Mr Elliott would not mention that in his explanation, of course. He is desperate to portray the South Australian economy and employment and unemployment in the worst possible light, and he does that on a regular basis. As I said, as the advice from Treasury says to me, and I have not had a chance to look at it, full-time employment increased by 6 600 jobs from this month compared to last month. As I understand it, national unemployment increased-

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Seasonally adjusted data. As I say, a 6 600 job increase in full-time jobs.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: The unemployment rate in South Australia is 7.5 per cent. As I understand it, the national unemployment rate slightly increased. South Australia's difference to the national unemployment rate, again, narrowed.

I will refer the honourable member's other questions which I was unable to pick up from his explanation to the appropriate minister and bring back a reply.