April 20, 2017
Unemployment in the Wide Bay statistical area – which includes the South Burnett – has dropped slightly from last month, but is still up on the same time last year.
The same figures show that almost one in four youths in the Wide Bay area are unemployed.
Statistics released by the State Government on Thursday showed the jobless rate in March 2017 in Wide Bay was 9.5 per cent, up 0.6 percentage points from the same time last year but down 0.2 per cent from last month.
Treasurer Curtis Pitt also emphasised this rate was down 0.6 per cent since the January 2015 State election.
Unemployment in Toowoomba was up 0.7 per cent on the same time last year, and up 0.1 per cent on February.
Youth jobless rates also rose in both regions.
In Wide Bay, youth unemployment was up 5.3 per cent to 24.7 per cent.
In Toowoomba, youth unemployment rose 1.5 per cent to 9.5 per cent, but is down 0.4 per cent from February.
The State Government claims that its $100 million Back to Work regional jobs program has helped produce the latest results.
“The $100 million Back to Work program has supported 352 Wide Bay employers to hire 515 local jobseekers,” Member for Bundaberg Leanne Donaldson said on Thursday.
“The $20,000 Back to Work Youth Boost is also a great success, with 213 locals aged 15-24 now in jobs.”
Ms Donaldson said Wide Bay employers have so far received almost $2.5 million in support payments.
