Jobless Rise Underlines Broken Promise

Media Release.

Shadow Treasurer Curtis Pitt says the rise in unemployment in Queensland from April to May highlights the Newman Government’s broken promise to have the state tracking towards 4% unemployment over six years.

“There are now 19,200 fewer full-time jobs in Queensland than when the Newman Government took office,” Mr Pitt said.

“Instead of creating jobs as he promised, the Premier and his Treasurer Tim Nicholls have done nothing but sack workers and drive up the number of people looking for work."

“You cannot hope to meet the rising cost of living including the Newman Government’s massively higher power bills and the higher taxes fees and charges in the 2013 State Budget if you don’t have a job.”

Mr Pitt said the latest ABS figures showed Queensland’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate rose from 5.7% in April to 5.8% in May.

“When the Newman Government took office it was 5.5%. There are now 19,200 fewer full-time jobs in our state than there were before the 2012 state election,” he said.

“The seasonally adjusted participation rate for May is unchanged from April at 65.8% and is 1.1% lower than in March 2012 when it was 66.9%."

“If the same proportion of people were looking for work in May 2013 as in March 2012 the unemployment rate would now be well over 7% — most likely 7.5%."

“By now we were supposed to be heading towards a 4% jobless rate, but we keep going backwards courtesy of the Newman Government’s slash-and-burn policies that have stifled economic growth.”

Mr Pitt said nationally the seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell from 5.6% in April to 5.5% in May.