Jobs crisis now a jobs emergency

Tasmanian Labor
  • Unemployment out of control at 8.2%
  • Worst jobless rate in the nation
  • Gutwein Government doesn’t have a plan for jobs
  • Premier and Treasurer Peter Gutwein must finally acknowledge the shocking collapse in Tasmanian jobs under his Government.

    Figures released today reveal a jobs emergency for Tasmania which is suffering the worst jobless rate in the nation.

    Unemployment has soared to an alarming 8.2 percent.

    Labor Leader Rebecca White said this makes Tasmania’s unemployment rate by far the worst in the country, followed by Queensland with 7.7 percent and a national average of 7 percent.

    “This is shocking and Peter Gutwein has to face up to the jobs emergency that has occurred under his watch,” Ms White said.

    “This is the first time since the GFC that unemployment in Tasmania has been above 8 percent and it’s terrible news for the state and the thousands of people who’ve lost their jobs – 3,700 of them in the past two months, 10,000 since February.

    “There are now close to 40,000 Tasmanians on some form of unemployment benefit. Our fear is these numbers will only get worse when JobKeeper is withdrawn in March.”

    The unemployment rate for women has increased significantly from 6.8% to 8.5%, while the rate for men has declined from 8.4% to 7.9%.

    “Peter Gutwein does not have a plan for jobs, only a plan for unemployment.

    “Peter Gutwein has no vision on how to restore jobs for the thousands of people who’ve been thrown out of work and his recent Budget has fallen totally flat in when it comes to creating jobs for these thousands of Tasmanians.

    “Only Labor has a plan for jobs.”

    Rebecca White MP

    Labor Leader

    /Public Release. View in full here.