Another bad result for Tasmanian workers

Tasmanian Labor

The bad economic news continues to mount against the Gutwein Government with thousands more jobs lost in Tasmania.

Shadow Treasurer David O’Byrne said total employment for the state has fallen by more than two percent over the past month – that’s more than 5,400 jobs lost.

“This Government keeps spruiking a strong economic recovery for Tasmania but what the latest data shows is a Government that’s sending our state backwards.

“At the height of the pandemic 20,000 Tasmanians were thrown out of work and the latest data shows that 12,400 are still unemployed,” Mr O’Byrne said.

“This is extremely concerning, especially at a time when 38,000 Tasmanians are relying on JobKeeper to keep their heads above water. We heard in the Public Accounts Committee today warnings from the hospitality sector that the worst is yet to come.

“With ongoing economic uncertainty and the Australian economy in recession for the first time in three decades, now is not the time to be scaling back wage support.

“Peter Gutwein’s failure to stand up to his Liberal colleagues in Canberra and fight the recent cuts to JobKeeper was a betrayal of Tasmanian businesses and workers, who rely on the supplement to stay afloat.

“Unless we see a dramatic turnaround in direction from the Gutwein Government when it delivers its State Budget next week, the situation will get even worse.

“Overall, Tasmania has the worst employment record in the country after Victoria and no matter how this Government tries to spin it, more and more Tasmanians continue to lose their jobs.

“And for those still in work wages continue to fall, down a further one percent – a 5.4% drop since the beginning of the pandemic.

“Seventeen out of nineteen industries have shed workers in the past month. Among those worst affected is the hospitality sector which has lost the most jobs since March. A further 705 jobs were lost in accommodation and food services in the past month.

“Premier and Treasurer Peter Gutwein is failing to address a deepening unemployment crisis for Tasmanian workers and their families.”

David O’Byrne

Shadow Treasurer

/Public Release. View in full here.