Tasmania’s South has lost 3000 jobs in a year, while the combined North-West and West gained 800.
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The North lost 200 in the same period, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.
The numbers - based on averaging jobs totals for 12 months to the end of September and comparing them to the monthly average from the previous year - suggest state government jobs stimulus focused on the North and North-West might be more strongly needed in the South.
Balancing that is the expectation of jobs-rich hotel construction projects in Hobart, plus the Royal Hobart Hospital rebuild and other work.
In other words, the private sector is expected to do much of the heavy lifting on jobs creation in the South.
State Treasury analysis of the figures showed:
- The combined North-West and West increased its monthly jobs average by 800 to 52,600 in the year to the end of September;
- Launceston and the North-East dropped 200 jobs, to 65,400; and
- Hobart and the South-East shed 3000 jobs, taking employment to 120,200.
The unemployment rates of the regions told a different story, pointing to the North as the state’s struggler.
The North’s annual average jobless rate of 7.7 per cent was up by 1.6 per cent in a year.
North-West and West Coast unemployment dropped by a massive 2 per cent to a state’s-best 5.9 per cent.
Southern unemployment was unchanged at 6.3 per cent.
