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The ABS data for Labour Force in August has shown a very strong growth in employment (up 54,200, seasonally adjusted) smashing market expectations of a 17,500 rise. Back months were also revised higher. Employment is now up 325,600 in the past 12 months. Full-time employment reversed a decline in July to rise by 40,100 and is now up 251,200 (or 77% of employment growth). The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate now sits at 5.6% (which is down from 5.7% last month, although this was only revised up from 5.6% last week during an ABS rebenchmarking exercise!).
The less volatile Trend series shows employment up 27,100 in August (up 307,300 for the year). The Trend unemployment rate was stable at 5.6%. With Participation also increasing by 0.2 ppts there can be little doubt these are strong numbers.
Queensland too saw some strong numbers. Seasonally adjusted employment was up 16,700 (after June was revised higher) with full-time employment up 14,700. Over the course of the past 12 months employment is up 95,400 although only 19.5% of those were full-time. The headline unemployment rate has fallen sharply to 5.7% as Participation remained unchanged. The Trend series shows employment up 10,600 for the month and 87,200 for the year with the Trend unemployment rate falling to 6.0% (after July was revised down to 6.1% from 6.3%).
As the chart below makes clear, the last few months have been good ones for the QLD labour market as a whole although there will still be concern at the low number of full-time positions being created. However, with annual employment growth of 3.7% (and 3.2% last month) this is the strongest period of growth in QLD employment since the GFC. A government considering the timing of an election are likely looking at these numbers with a certain amount of pleasure.
Regional labour force data will be released by the ABS next Thursday at which point we will be updating our Conus Jobs Trend and quarterly Conus Industry Jobs Trend series
We are proud to have CBC Staff Selection as supporters of the Conus/CBC Staff Selection Trend Employment and Jobseeker data series
September 14th, 2017 at 9:11 am
More related to your post on the previous months regional data the recovery in Mackay has been interesting. Catch up with a friend with a residential building maintenance business suggested that recently more tight labour availability in Cairns is not just related to local activity but tradies being drawn south by Cyclone Debbie reconstruction in that area. Something to watch in the regional data.
September 14th, 2017 at 11:28 pm
Thanks Mark. Yes, the regional industry jobs data for the Aug quarter (out next week) could tell us something about that shift to the Mackay and Whitsundays area. Cheers, Pete