Employment figures show the need for strong economic management

 

 

 

Minister for Employment Senator Eric Abetz said employment figures out today demonstrate the need to get the economy back on track. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April remained steady at 5.8 per cent, although the labour force participation rate declined slightly from 64.8 per cent in March to 64.7 per cent in April 2014.

While the figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that seasonally adjusted employment expanded in April increasing by 14 200, Senator Abetz said there is an underlying softness in the labour market with employment growth remaining slow

Full-time employment increased by 14,200 people to 8,045,100 and part-time employment remained unchanged at 3,527,800 people.

Senator Abetz said it was positive to see a modest rise in fulltime employment; however, month to month figures should always be treated with caution.

“The Coalition has inherited a tough fiscal position; that creates a difficult position for jobs creation. The first step to encouraging future jobs growth is to repair the Commonwealth Budget – the Coalition Government is taking strong and decisive action to ensure this is done,” Senator Abetz said.

“Coalition policies for job creation and a stronger economy include abolishing the carbon and mining taxes, cutting red tape and  green tape, re-establishing the Australian Building and Construction Commission, yet, these policies continue to be blocked in the Senate by the Green Labor Alliance.”

“Labor and the Greens need to support these policies that can create the environment for employers to employ more people and encourage people to participate in the job market.”

The Government is providing incentives to help more unemployed Australians back into the workforce including:

  • A Job Commitment Bonus payment of up to $6,500, which will encourage long-term unemployed young Australians to find a job and remain off welfare;
  • The Tasmanian Jobs Programme, which will provide an incentive of up to $3,250 to businesses that employ job seekers (who have been out of work for at least six months and are at risk of long-term unemployment) in full-time positions for at least six months.

“However  Labor and the Greens need to stop blocking the Coalition’s job-creating policies and support strong economic management,” Senator Abetz said.

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