Still No Good News on Jobs Front Another 500 Full-Time Jobs Gone
12 September 2001
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force figures for August hold no good news on the ACT jobs front, Labor Shadow Employment Minister Wayne Berry said today.
The ABS figures show a fall of 500 full time jobs in the last month bringing the full-time jobs lost since September last year to 6,000. While there are 100 fewer people unemployed, this is a result of the falling participation rate, not an increase in jobs.
"6,000 jobs gone from the ACT economy over the last 11 months while the Chief Minister Gary Humphries sat on his hands - this is a disgrace," Mr Berry said.
"In spite of repeated attempts over many months to get the Liberal Government to come up with a plan to stem the jobs slide, the Chief Minister waited until last week to release his so-called jobs plan. This is nothing more than cynical electioneering.
"Labor has remains committed to an ongoing policy of addressing employment problems as they arise, not waiting until an election is imminent.
"While the Government has done nothing, the Opposition has been busy focussing on jobs.
"Over the last 3 years I have taken every opportunity to oppose job cuts in areas such as Totalcare and ACT Forests. At the same time I have sought out job opportunities - such as the 50 unfilled positions in the Fire Service.
Mr Humphries needs to learn that plans to provide jobs should not be left until a few weeks before the election. We needed that plan last year when predictions of a slowdown were forecast," Mr Berry concluded.