Unemployment Figures

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (14:41): If, by the minister's own words, more women are entering the labour force, then why do the statistics that have just come out indicate that 8.3 per cent of women are unemployed this month, compared to 6.8 last month? Also, what is the government doing to ensure that we have more adequately trained disability support workers—given that the disability area is a jobs growth area under the NDIS—particularly in regional areas where there is an evident need for more workers?

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) (14:41): I thank the honourable member for a very well reasoned and thought out question. Over the last 12 months, in trend terms, there have been 5,600 more women enter the labour force—that is women who are either working or looking for a job. Of those 5,600 more women who have entered the labour force, half—2,300—have gained employment.

So, an increase in participation rate can often, even though there are more people employed, lead to an increase in an unemployment rate. In relation to the significant increase in the participation of women in the South Australian labour force over the last six months, although it has led to a net increase of 2,300 more women in employment, there have been double that amount who have entered into the labour force in total.

The second question was about jobs in disability services through the NDIS. I think I mentioned in this chamber only this week that around 1,700 more jobs are expected in just northern Adelaide through the introduction of the NDIS. That is why there was a disability employment hub that has been set up in northern Adelaide—for exactly that reason: to make sure training can be provided for people looking to enter into those jobs.