Employment figures show a rise of 53,700 full-time jobs in July
04 September 2008
FULL-time employment positions rose by 53,700 in July putting employment figures at odds with suggestions the economy is slowing
The Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates this week ending a six-year run of interest rate hikes in light of evidence of an economic slowdown.
The total number of people employed in July rose by a seasonally-adjusted 10,900, but part-time jobs dropped 42,800, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said.
The jobless rate was 4.3 per cent, unchanged for the fourth straight month after revisions.
Economists had expected total employment to rise by a slim 1,300.
The jobless rate was unchanged at 4.6 per cent in Victoria, but rose to 4.5 per cent from 4.2 per cent in Tasmania and was up to 4.7 per cent in NSW from 4.6 per cent the previous month.
South Australia reported the largest fall in unemployment in July, easing to 4.6 per cent from 4.8 per cent, while in Queensland it declined to 3.7 per cent from 3.8 per cent and in Western Australia it fell to 3.1 per cent from 3.2 per cent.
In the territories, the unemployment rate fell to 2.9 per cent in the Northern Territory in July from 3.2 per cent, while in the ACT it was unchanged at 2.7 per cent for a fourth straight month.
Back to news index