TREASURER Peter Gutwein has rejected analysis that suggests Tasmania’s unemployment rate is three times higher than official figures. Analyst Martyn Goddard says Australian Bureau of Statistics data, which puts the state’s jobless rate at 6.7 per cent, overlooks those with too little work to achieve a living income. According to Mr Goddard, Tasmania’s ‘‘true’’ unemployment rate has hit 18 per cent and is by far the worst in the country. The ABS considers a person with at least one hour of paid work a week as employed. Mr Goddard said labour force under-utilisation rates ‘‘reveal the full nature of unemployment and disadvantage’’. ‘‘This rate of ‘true’ or underlying unemployment has been the highest in Australia for at least the most recent 12 months,’’ he said. ‘‘It belies the headline unemployment rate, which has shown some improvement and has been overtaken by South Australia.’’ Mr Goddard said high rates of youth unemployment and long-term joblessness were also a cause for concern. However, Mr Gutwein flatly rejected his analysis. ‘‘Martyn Goddard’s media statements contradict recent economic reports from CommSec, Deloitte Access Economics, and recent ABS data, which all point to improvement in Tasmania’s economy and job market over past 18 months,’’ he said. ‘‘Mr Goddard’s statement also ignores the fact that long-term unemployment is down 11.7 per cent year-on-year as of this month.’’ Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said under-employment was a serious problem facing the state. ‘‘There’s a whole swathe of people in Tasmania who would like to be working more but the opportunities are not there for them,’’ she said. Opposition Leader Bryan Green said it seemed official unemployment rates did not reflect what it felt like ‘‘on the ground’’. ‘‘If you travel around Tasmania, particularly onto the West Coast, the North-West, the North-East, even into the South-East, you’ll see that youth unemployment is massively high,’’ he said. ‘‘My view is employment, particularly youth unemployment, is a massive issue for our state going forward and unless we get on top of it now – particularly when it comes to training, apprentices and opportunity – it’s going to leave another generation without employment.’’
TREASURER Peter Gutwein has rejected analysis that suggests Tasmania’s unemployment rate is three times higher than official figures.
Analyst Martyn Goddard says Australian Bureau of Statistics data, which puts the state’s jobless rate at 6.7 per cent, overlooks those with too little work to achieve a living income.
Martyn Goddard
According to Mr Goddard, Tasmania’s ‘‘true’’ unemployment rate has hit 18 per cent and is by far the worst in the country.
The ABS considers a person with at least one hour of paid work a week as employed.
Mr Goddard said labour force under-utilisation rates ‘‘reveal the full nature of unemployment and disadvantage’’.
‘‘This rate of ‘true’ or underlying unemployment has been the highest in Australia for at least the most recent 12 months,’’ he said.
‘‘It belies the headline unemployment rate, which has shown some improvement and has been overtaken by South Australia.’’
Mr Goddard said high rates of youth unemployment and long-term joblessness were also a cause for concern.
However, Mr Gutwein flatly rejected his analysis.
‘‘Martyn Goddard’s media statements contradict recent economic reports from CommSec, Deloitte Access Economics, and recent ABS data, which all point to improvement in Tasmania’s economy and job market over past 18 months,’’ he said.
‘‘Mr Goddard’s statement also ignores the fact that long-term unemployment is down 11.7 per cent year-on-year as of this month.’’
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said under-employment was a serious problem facing the state.
‘‘There’s a whole swathe of people in Tasmania who would like to be working more but the opportunities are not there for them,’’ she said.
Opposition Leader Bryan Green said it seemed official unemployment rates did not reflect what it felt like ‘‘on the ground’’.
‘‘If you travel around Tasmania, particularly onto the West Coast, the North-West, the North-East, even into the South-East, you’ll see that youth unemployment is massively high,’’ he said.
‘‘My view is employment, particularly youth unemployment, is a massive issue for our state going forward and unless we get on top of it now – particularly when it comes to training, apprentices and opportunity – it’s going to leave another generation without employment.’’
