Lack of stable work, stagnant wage growth, underemployment and unemployment meant more and more families under financial pressure in the Macarthur region, MP Dr Mike Freelander has told federal parliament.
Shining a light on what he described as “Macarthur’s jobs crisis’’ Dr Freelander called for investment in infrastructure to boost employment opportunities in the region.
He said a rail link from the new airport at Badgerys Creek south to Macarthur would be part of such a boost.
“Families in Macarthur are already struggling to make ends meet,’’ he said.
“People are struggling with the rising cost of living, and they are having to stretch each and every dollar,” the Member for Macarthur told parliament.
“I know our community is doing it tough. Many families are experiencing mortgage stress across South West Sydney; people are struggling to pay their bills and to put food on the table.”
The ABS’ latest quarterly figures showed national unemployment has risen over the last quarter to 5.3 percent.
Locally, the figures are even worse.
“Latest figures show that South West Sydney has an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent,’’ Dr Freelander said.
“Shockingly, the underutilization rate for our region is even higher, with the ABS estimating a figure as high as 12.9 percent in South West Sydney.”
The underutilization rate takes into account the underemployment rate of local residents, and in Dr Freelander’s view provides a much clearer image of the availability of local work.
According to the Member for Macarthur, there is a clear path forward.
“Our region is experiencing exponential population growth, and we are bursting at the seams,” he said.
“The government knows that our region is in dire need of infrastructure to deal with this growth.
“That is why I continue to advocate for the Macarthur region to be connected to the new airport via rail, and it is unacceptable that the Coalition Government has failed to plan for this.
“Investment in congestion busting infrastructure, such as the rail line, would not only provide local opportunities for jobs in the short to medium term, it would also provide long term solutions to our jobs crisis.”
“The new Airport and Aerotropolis will be modern hubs for employment opportunities, and Macarthur residents deserve to have access to this.”
