Queensland’s unemployment levels are on the decline, the state treasurer has claimed.
Tim Nicholls said the number of people without a job dropped from 6.1 per cent in October to six per cent last month – based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data.
This was largely due to the creation of more than 27,000 full-time and part-time jobs during the month, he stated.
According to the ABS, unemployment was down across Australia by 0.1 percentage point in November, dropping to 5.2 per cent.
The news comes soon after the government announced a new vocational training and education plan to boost apprenticeships in Queensland, with the aim of increasing employment opportunities in the state.
Mr Nicholls said: “There are 5,900 more people employed in Queensland now than there were when we were elected in March, and 90 per cent of these people are employed in full-time work.
“November saw a reduction in unemployment, while participation rates increased.”
The improvement in the labour market is one of a number of positive trends being experienced in Queensland at the moment, the treasurer continued.
There has also been more retail spending and an increase in demand for affordable homes across the state, he added, with buyers taking advantage of various housing incentives.
