Tasmania’s return to strong jobs growth is yet to slash the numbers of jobseekers on government income support.
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In fact, they increased by 603 to 15,508 in the year to May.
That is according to federal departmental figures.
The figures show the number of Tasmanian jobseekers on income support:
- Decreased by 31 to 1644 at the Burnie end of the North-West;
- decreased by 40 to 1573 at the Devonport end of the North-West;
- increased by 390 to 4912 in Launceston and the North-East; and;
- increased by 256 to 7210 in the South.
Separate figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed employed Tasmanians increased by an estimated 6700 in trend terms in the year to May.
Part-time jobs increased by 7700 in that time, with 1000 full-time jobs going.
Full-time jobs growth had returned in recent months.
State Treasury analysis of the departmental jobseeker figures showed they increased by 4 per cent for the year.
National numbers increased by 0.6 per cent.
They made up 5.9 per cent of the Tasmanian labour force in original terms, compared to 4 per cent nationally.
Of the 15,508 Tasmanian jobseekers on income support, 4154 were classified as short-term jobseekers and 11,354 as long-term jobseekers.
The number of long-term jobseekers increased by 537 in the year to May.
Short-term jobseekers increased by 66 in the same period.
- SEAN FORD