Unemployment Figures

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:39): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment a question regarding South Australia's unemployment rate.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire interjecting:

The Hon. J.S. LEE: Job figures released today—and the Hon. Robert Brokenshire is correct—have once again shown that South Australia has not only the worst unemployment rate on the mainland but now the equal worst unemployment rate in Australia at a seasonally adjusted 6.7 per cent. Constituents every day have complained to me (and other members I am sure) that they are looking for jobs but they cannot find employment.

Given the 2016-17 budget paper of Treasurer Koutsantonis, which emphasised that it would—and I quote from the government's budget website—'create more jobs for South Australians', with today's disastrous unemployment figures, will the minister concede that his and the government's budget has failed to deliver the promised jobs for South Australians?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:40): I thank the honourable member for her question and her interest in this area. Today's release of the ABS unemployment figures had both the trend unemployment and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate at 6.7 per cent. That is a decrease of the headlined unemployment rate of 0.1 per cent and the trend unemployment rate being steady—not changed.

We are facing challenges in South Australia, and we have spoken about them here before. One thing I will note from today's figures is that when you look at the last 12 months there is reason for optimism in South Australia. Our unemployment rate in South Australia, in both the seasonally-adjusted or headlined rate and the trend rate, has come down by almost 1 per cent over the last 12 months, 0.9 per cent for both of them over the last 12 months.

One figure that should be taken into account is that, compared to this month last year, there are 800,000 more hours being worked by South Australians than this time 12 months ago. That represents the highest growth rate in hours worked of any state in Australia, outside Victoria. While I agree with the honourable member that there are challenges to be faced, the trends are heading in the right direction. Certainly, as the honourable member noted, the government is doing what it can to address these concerns.

I think the honourable member alluded to the $109 million job creation grant scheme that was set down in this last budget and, no doubt, as those applications are made and those grants are rolled out, we will see more people in work in South Australia, as we have seen over the last 12 months.