Youth unemployment highest in Gippsland

The youth unemployment rate in Gippsland is now the highest of anywhere in regional Victoria, Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath says.

New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the youth unemployment rate has climbed 3.6 per cent since Daniel Andrews came to office in December 2014. The rate now sits at 14.8 per cent – 50 per cent higher than the average across regional Victoria.

The number of young people in Gippsland and Latrobe Valley who have jobs has declined by 5,075 in that period.

Of the 5,075 the number of young people employed full-time in Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley has dropped 3,538, while the number of youth employed part-time has dropped 1,537.

“The youth unemployment rate in Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley keeps climbing but Daniel Andrews is doing nothing to ensure our young people are supported to break into the workforce,” Ms Bath said.

“Our communities have been hit hard by the closure of the Hazelwood power station and reports of impending job cuts at Australian Sustainable Hardwoods in Heyfield.”

“While young people are struggling to find a job, not enough is being invested in education either. Student numbers are also declining across the Latrobe Valley.”

“Federation Training has had to fend for itself for two and a half years under the Andrews Labor Government.”

“We know the number of students in training across Gippsland fell by 2,400 between 2014 and 2015.”

“Daniel Andrews has been hiding the data on the decline in student numbers in Gippsland since then, but we do know that staff at Federation Training have been cut and courses and support services have been axed.”

“Industry is being forced to close and there’s not enough investment in education across Gippsland.”

“If Daniel Andrews can’t protect the jobs that already exist in our community, how can our next generation trust him to create jobs for them?”

 

 

Latrobe – Gippsland (youth)

  Units Dec-14 July-16 July-17 Change from
Dec-14
Change from
July-16
Unemployment rate Per cent   11.2   14.1   14.8   3.6   0.7
Unemployed Persons 2 899 3 052 3 099   200   47
Employed full-time Persons 10 600 7 565 7 062 – 3 538 –  503
Employed part-time Persons 12 295 10 971 10 758 – 1 537 –  213
Employed total Persons 22 895 18 536 17 820 – 5 075 –  716
Labour force Persons 25 794 21 588 20 919 – 4 875 –  669
Participation rate Per cent   74.3   71.6   71.6 –  2.6 –  0.0
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, Detailed, Original Series 12 Month Average (Cat. No. 6291.0.55.001, Data Cube RM1)