Tasmanian jobs showing signs of life after recent slump

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures based on payrolls estimated employment increased by 0.3 per cent between May 15 and May 22.

That only recovered about half of the jobs estimated to have been lost in the previous week, and followed on from the ABS' regular labour force series estimating a net 2500 fewer Tasmanians were employed in April than in March in seasonally adjusted terms.

It is not yet clear if the payroll jobs lift from the most recent week was the start of a prolonged upturn.

Tasmanian jobs plunged last year as the coronavirus-driven recession took hold, but recovered strongly until recent times.

The payroll figures suggested total employment remained well ahead of pre-pandemic levels despite the recent slump.

The ABS estimated the state had 1.7 per cent more payroll jobs on May 22 than on March 14 last year, when the nation recorded its 100^th coronavirus case.

State Labor focussed on the combined payrolls figures for the past two weeks (a 0.6 per cent loss, then the 0.3 per cent increase), estimating nearly 800 jobs were lost during the period.

"Tasmania is unfortunately missing out on the post-pandemic jobs recovery while other states continue to surge...," Acting Labor Leader Anita Dow said.

"Wages also fell in the past two weeks and the state's 1.9 per cent growth in wages since the start of the pandemic is well below the national average of 3.1 per cent."

Finance Minister Michael Ferguson recently said Tasmanian businesses were confident and hiring, with job vacancies 71 per cent higher than before the pandemic and economic growth fundamentals looking good.