Wide Bay 'In Jobs Crisis' - southburnett.com.au

April 24, 2017

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington says last week’s unemployment statistics show that the Wide Bay region is in the middle of a jobs crisis.

The figures, released by the State Government, show that the Wide Bay youth unemployment rate has risen to 24.7 per cent.

Mrs Frecklington said 1200 youth jobs had disappeared from the region last year.

She said the current government had let down South Burnett jobseekers, who were “clearly falling behind under this do-nothing government”.

“Our youth unemployment rate is now 24.7 per cent, and over the last year this has only been getting worse. It’s now 5.3 per cent higher than it was 12 months ago,” Mrs Frecklington said.

“There are now 1000 fewer young people from the Wide Bay region with a job than there was 12 months ago.

“The youth unemployment rate would be even higher if not for the huge number of young people in the South Burnett who have simply given up looking for work because they’ve lost hope.”

Mrs Frecklington said Queensland continued to lead the nation in job losses.

“Labor has done nothing in over two years to help jobseekers,” she said.

Mrs Frecklington said the LNP had a $100 million package aimed at getting young Queenslanders back into work.

“Our plan includes $5000 Queensland Apprenticeship incentive for small business, $500 Tools for Tradies vouchers, a $4000 Job Start Incentive; together with discounts on Work Cover premiums for small business,” she said.