All Tasmania's main regions are getting jobs growth, but the full effects of mainland coronavirus lockdowns - or any potential Tasmanian lockdown - are yet to be felt.
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Original terms estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday suggested:
- the combined North-West and West Coast averaged 48,500 employed people per month in the year to June, up by 500 compared to the 12-month average of the year to June 2020;
- Launceston and the North-East averaged 70,800 employed people in the year to June, an increase of 1500; and
- Greater Hobart (not including the South-East) averaged 119,800 employed people in the year to June, an increase of 3200.
The trend in recent months was upwards in all three regions.
The figures followed statewide seasonally adjusted figures released last week which suggested employment increased by 2600 (1 per cent) between May and June to 262,200 people.
That meant the state had more employed people than it did before last year's coronavirus-driven economic crash which threw thousands of Tasmanians out of work.
Employment had increased by 15,600 people since June last year, according to state Treasury analysis.
The state unemployment rate tumbled from 5.7 per cent in May to 4.5 per cent in June.
That was 2.3 percentage points below its level in June 2020.
Other ABS figures released on Thursday and based on payroll employment estimated Tasmanian payroll jobs decreased by 0.1 per cent in the fortnight to July 3.
They dropped by 1 per cent nationally in the same period, by 1.4 per cent in New South Wales and by 0.5 per cent in Victoria.
Both of those states are likely to experience further falls due to coronavirus lockdowns.
"The latest fortnight of data overlapped with increased COVID-19 restrictions in most states and territories, including lockdowns in four of the eight capital cities," ABS head of labour statistics Bjorn Jarvis said.
"It also coincided with school holidays in most states and territories.
"Payroll jobs fell in every state and territory in the fortnight to July 3, 2021, with the largest falls seen in states and territories with lockdowns during this period.
"This ranged from a fall of 1.4 per cent in New South Wales and the Northern Territory to 1.1 per cent in Western Australia and 1 per cent in Queensland.
"Through the end of June and into early July, people living in capital cities and surrounding urban areas were generally more impacted by payroll job losses than rural and regional areas.
"This was particularly true in New South Wales, where payroll jobs in Greater Sydney fell by 1.9 per cent, compared with a 0.4 per cent fall in the rest of New South Wales."
Sean Ford
The Advocate Newspaper, Tasmania. Business, economics, politics, crime.
The Advocate Newspaper, Tasmania. Business, economics, politics, crime.
