JobKeeper withdrawal dents Queensland jobs performance

The first Labour Force data since the Morrison Government’s withdrawal of JobKeeper has ended a run of four consecutive months of jobs growth in Queensland.

Treasurer and Minister for Investment Cameron Dick said the loss of 7,400 jobs in April ran against the strong tide of recent employment data for Queensland.

“All the data shows Queensland is in a strong position when it comes to employment growth as we continue to deliver Queensland’s plan for economic recovery,” the Treasurer said.

“However, the April data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows the abrupt end of JobKeeper was a setback.

“Since the pandemic first impacted Australia in March 2020, Queensland has seen the largest growth in jobs in Australia, with a 2.1% increase, or an additional 54,900 jobs.

“This means that 307,400 jobs have been crated in Queensland since the election of the Palaszczuk Labor Government in 2015.

“Across the last 12 months we’ve seen nation-leading growth in employment (+7.8%), labour force (+6.5%) and the participation rate (+3.4%).

“By comparison, New South Wales, which lost 36,700 jobs in April alone, is yet to recover all the jobs lost during the pandemic.”

“We know from last week’s Federal Budget that Scott Morrison is sitting on an election war chest worth about $9 billion in ‘decisions taken but not announced’.

“Scott Morrison must use this money to end his rip off of Queenslanders and to reverse the jobs lost following his abrupt end to JobKeeper.

Media contact: Geoff Breusch 0417 272 875