WA's tight labour market eases

Issue Date: - Thursday, 11 December 2008

There has been an easing in the Western Australian labour market from its record lows.

Figures released this morning by the Australian Bureau of Statistics put the November seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in WA at 3%, a rise on the October jobless rate of 2.2%, which was the lowest ever in Western Australia.

WA’s unemployment rate is still significantly lower than the seasonally adjusted national average of 4.4%.

Acting Executive Director of Labour Relations with the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, Mr Bob Horstman, said despite the easing in WA’s tight labour market, Western Australia still has the lowest unemployment of all states, a title it has now held for 15 consecutive months.

However, Mr Horstman warned that the current figures were not as reliable as those in the past due to reduced sample sizes in the labour force survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Ends.

Media contact: Rick Powell, Senior Media/Public Relations Officer,
Labour Relations Division, Department of Consumer and Employment Protection.
Phone (08) 9222 7634 Mobile 0407 424 129
Email rick.powell@docep.wa.gov.au