Labor has repeated its plea to have JobKeeper extended past the September "drop dead date" in the wake of figures detailing Tasmania's jobs carnage.
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Regional jobs estimates in original terms released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday, suggested:
- the combined North-West and West Coast lost 3700 jobs between February and May;
- Launceston and the North-East shed 4300 jobs;
- Greater Hobart lost 11,700; and
- the South-East lost 1000.
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Despite that, the state unemployment rate only ticked up from 6.1 per cent in April to 6.2 per cent in May.
That was because many of the people who had lost jobs were not actively looking for work.
" ... the true extent of the current jobs crisis is being masked by low levels of workforce participation," Shadow Treasurer David O'Byrne said.
"Low participation means workers are losing hope."
He said the state unemployment rate would be almost 13 per cent if the participation rate was at its February level.
"By region, Hobart's unemployment rate would be 14.4 per cent, Launceston's would be 11.3 per cent, in the South-East it would be 12.5 per cent and in the North-West it would be 11.8 per cent," Mr O'Byrne said.
"What this shows is that no region has been immune to the tragic job losses Tasmania has seen in recent months.
"This reinforces our call to extend the JobKeeper program beyond the federal government's drop dead date of September.
"We need to do all we can to support people who have lost their jobs or had their hours cut and who are suffering ongoing hardship due to the pandemic.
"And we need to make sure no region and no sector is left behind."
Mr O'Byrne said he urged Premier Peter Gutwein to urgently consider the ideas in Labor's coronavirus recovery package to create jobs across Tasmania.
Braddon Liberal MHR Gavin Pearce said Treasury was reviewing the $70 billion JobKeeper program and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg would outline the review's findings on July 23.
"The government's economic and health response to COVID-19 has been world-leading," Mr Pearce said.
"I have complete confidence that this level of careful consideration and effective implementation of programs will continue as the government actively manages the economic support to Australian businesses and households as the health and economic situation evolves."
Building and infrastructure has been the key focus of the state government's stimulus measures, while the federal government has placed a heavy emphasis on income support.
