Rise In Region’s Jobless

Media Release.

 

Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Tim Mulherin, says the Newman Government must do more to create jobs in regional Queensland.

“Analysis by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows the unemployment rate in the bureau’s Mackay-Fitzroy and Central West statistical region rose from 5% in January 2012 to 5.4% in January this year,” Mr Mulherin said.

“That means an additional 200 people are now on the jobless queue in the region compared with a year ago.”

Mr Mulherin said the LNP government’s capital works freeze, mass sackings, and frontline service cuts were inhibiting job creation.

“All of those factors have a detrimental effect on local and regional economies and business and consumer confidence,” he said.

“The Newman Government has only one major capital works project on its books and even that is in the middle of Brisbane — a new Executive Building for the Premier and his Ministers.

“If the Premier and his government focussed outside Brisbane and paid some attention to regional Queensland we could see lower jobless rates.”

Mr Mulherin said the statewide jobless rate in January had not budged from 5.5% — the same as before the March 2012 state election.

“The Premier and Treasurer Tim Nicholls promised before the election they would cut our jobless rate to such an extent that it would be on track to hit just 4% in the next six years.

“A 4% jobless rate would require the Newman Government to create new jobs at the rate of 420,000 over six years, or about 200 a day, but they are not coming close to that figure.”