WA Labour Market eases

Issue Date: - Thursday, 12 February 2009

Western Australia remains the state with the nation’s lowest unemployment.

Figures released this morning by the Australian Bureau of Statistics put WA’s jobless rate in January at 3.2% seasonally adjusted, a point 3 of a percent rise on the December rate of 2.9%.

Nationally the unemployment rate in January rose to 4.8% seasonally adjusted.

Acting Executive Director of the Labour Relations Division of the Western Australian Department of Commerce, Mr Bob Horstman, said January was the 17th consecutive month Western Australia had maintained its record of the state with the lowest jobless rate.

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 Commerce.
Phone (08) 9222 7634 Mobile 0407 424 129
Email rick.powell@commerce.wa.gov.au