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| Surfers Paradise |
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data showed the Government’s economic plan, and its partnership with business and industry, was working.
“In January, there were 3,700 jobs created on a trend basis, and since January 2015 there are 152,400 more jobs in Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“This is the equivalent almost 140 jobs every day since the last election. That is the equivalent of the population of the great city of Cairns.
“We fundamentally believe in the dignity of work and our number one priority is getting people into secure, fulfilling work. We are achieving that, without cutting frontline services and without selling assets.”
Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said that Queensland had recorded employment growth of 4.7% over the past year, over a full percentage point higher than New South Wales.
“We are driving jobs growth for all of the country, with 1 in 4 jobs created over the past year created here in Queensland. Even Malcolm Turnbull brags about it,” Ms Trad said.
“And our trend unemployment rate continues to be significantly lower than when the LNP were last in government, when we saw 14,000 workers sacked and an unemployment rate of 6.6% when they were voted out.
“We have also seen an incredibly strong increase in participation over the past year, up 1.8 percentage points.
“Our strong jobs growth is encouraging more and more people to enter the labour market because they feel confident that the jobs are there to be had.”
Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman said the Palaszczuk Government was investing in programs that worked, driving jobs in the city and the regions.
“We’re investing in programs like Back to Work and Skilling Queenslanders for Work because we know that they work to get people into jobs and training,” Ms. Fentiman said.
“These are practical programs that partner with businesses and training providers to help people who would otherwise struggle to get into the labour market to get a job.
“For example, to date over 13,500 Queenslanders have been trained and are into jobs thanks to the reintroduction of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work after it was disgracefully cut by the LNP.
“Back to Work has also been extraordinarily successful with more than 11,000 people getting into jobs and partnerships established with more than 5,500 Queensland businesses.”
ABS reported, “The highest annual employment growth rates were in the Australian Capital Territory (4.8 per cent), followed by Queensland (4.7 per cent) and New South Wales (3.6 per cent).”