Queensland leads the way on jobs

Queensland has consolidated its place as the nation’s engine room of job creation after the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics were released today.

Acting Treasurer John McVeigh said that 75 per cent of all the jobs created in Australia over the year to December 2013 were created in Queensland.

“35,200 jobs were created in Queensland in trend terms over the 12 month period, almost 25,000 of those in the last six months,” Mr McVeigh said.

“We’ve seen trend employment increase now for 14 out of the last 15 months.

“Since coming to Government nearly 40,000 jobs have been created in trend terms.

“Trend unemployment fell 0.1 per cent to 5.7 per cent in December which is the second lowest rate of any state behind Western Australia.

“It’s a far better picture than under Labor when Queensland had the highest unemployment rate of any mainland state.”

Mr McVeigh said the employment figures showed the Newman Government’s plan for a four pillar economy was delivering real results.

“Under this Government business has the certainty it needs and that’s building confidence and resulting in more people being employed,” he said.

“Just today we’ve seen the Property Council – ANZ Confidence Survey showing the property and construction industry in Queensland experiencing a surge in confidence and indicating high expectations that it will employ more staff over the coming year.

“We’ve helped business to get on with what it does best by cutting red tape, reducing the cost of doing business, maintaining Queensland’s competitive tax status and speeding up approvals processes.

“This Government is turning the economy around after years of Labor neglect.”

Mr McVeigh said more work still needed to be done to reduce unemployment.

“The Government remains committed to its target of reducing unemployment to four per cent over six years,” he said.

[ENDS] 16 January 2014

Media Contact: Treasurer’s office 3719 7200