The Palaszczuk Labor Government’s rhetoric on jobs isn’t matched by reality, after two state budgets that have delivered higher unemployment and a cut in full-time jobs.
Shadow Treasurer Scott Emerson said Labor’s claims of a “jobs bonanza” next week were nothing more than empty promises, with their record after two years in government telling the true story.
“Last year 30,000 jobs disappeared from Queensland. This was our worst year on record,” Mr Emerson said.*
“We have the second highest unemployment rate in the country. Queensland is battling South Australia for last place and even Tasmania is beating us, meaning more and more Queenslanders are being left behind.
“If not for the continued fall in the participation rate, unemployment would be even higher.
“Labor’s first two budgets promised ‘jobs now, and jobs for the future’, but delivered billions of dollars in cuts to infrastructure spending.
“These cuts to infrastructure investment have had a devastating impact in regional communities where unemployment is spiraling out of control.
“Unemployment in Townsville peaked at 11.6 per cent just two months ago.
“On the Sunshine Coast 11,500 jobs have been lost in the last 12 months, while on the Gold Coast 7,000 jobs have disappeared.
“Youth unemployment in Outback Queensland is close to a staggering 50 per cent. There is a lost generation of kids in the bush who can’t get a job and it’s happening on this Premier’s watch.
“Youth unemployment is above 20 per cent in many regions, including Townsville, Cairns, Wide Bay and Brisbane’s East. The youth unemployment rate has doubled in Brisbane West in the last year and has increased across most Queensland regions.
“Since Labor’s election almost 15,000 youth jobs have disappeared from Queensland.”
Mr Emerson said the true test for next week’s budget was whether it forecast lower unemployment and stronger employment growth than comparable states like New South Wales and Victoria.
“Queensland’s unemployment rate is currently one and a half per cent higher than New South Wales,” he said.
“Victoria’s budget forecast employment growth at 3.25 per cent in 2016-17. By contrast, Queensland’s employment growth forecast halved to just 0.75 per cent in Labor’s last budget update.
“We are losing the economic State of Origin and all this government is offering is more spin and empty rhetoric.
“Only the LNP has the plans to restore confidence and get investment flowing to create jobs and build a better Queensland.”
* data sourced from Australian Bureau of Statistics series:
6202.0 Labour Force, Australia
6291.0.55.001 Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery
6291.0.55.001 - RM1 - Labour force status by Age, Labour market region (ASGS) and Sex
