The jobless rate in the federal electorate of Hume has dropped to 2.9 percent, the sixth lowest rate in Australia, according to data from the Department of Jobs and Small Business small area labour markets.
Neighbouring electorate Macarthur has seen the second highest drop in unemployment across Australia, falling by 2.3 percent to 4.7 percent during the March quarter.
Across most of Hume’s local government areas, which include Camden and Wollondilly, unemployment numbers have been falling consistently.
In Camden the jobless rate is now two percent from a workforce of 44,426 people.
In September 2017 the jobless rate was 2.6 percent in Camden.
Down south in Wollondilly Shire, which has a workforce of 26,997 people, the jobless rate dropped from three percent in the September quarter to 2.2 percent.
Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said Hume’s economic growth was no accident.
“The Hume corridor is thriving,’’ he said.
“You can see new businesses opening, busy streets, more construction – all the hi-vis signs of growth,” Mr Taylor said.
“Strong businesses create jobs and give Australians opportunity to work, to save, to get ahead. There are now more than a million extra jobs than when we came to government in 2013.
In a Jobs and Businesses booming brochure to households in his electorate, Mr Taylor highlights the industries with big numbers of intakes.
Around Camden and Narellan 4,000 new retail jobs have been created in the past year.
Further south, construction and manufacturing are employing thousands of locals.
In northern Hume, the healthcare and social work sectors have employed an extra 4,500 people in the past year.
Narellan pharmacy owner Louie Sbirziola has taken on an additional 30 percent in staffing numbers in the past year.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Our proudest achievement is the number of people we have been able to employ,” Mr Sbirziola said.[/social_quote]
Narellan Town Centre beautician Carrin Casserly started with just four staff and now employs 30 people, many of them young women.
“People are coming from everywhere to shop here,” Ms Casserly said.
It would be interesting if the participating rate was include as getting to jobs requires long times spent in cars away from home so lots of women give up if they can afford it
How many of those jobs are casual and short contracts? Would be interesting to see those figures.