WA Labour market remains firm.

Issue Date: - Thursday, 15 January 2009

Western Australia has maintained its record as the state with the lowest unemployment, with a fall in the number of people out of work in December.

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this morning put WA’s jobless rate last month at 2.8%, a point 2 of a percent decrease on the November rate of 3%.

The national unemployment rate rose marginally to 4.5%.

WA has continued its long run as the state with the lowest unemployment, a record it has held for 16 consecutive months.

However, Acting Executive Director of Labour Relations with the Department of Commerce, Mr Bob 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