Mr BONSON - 2007-10-11
Can you inform the House about the Northern Territory’s latest labour force statistics and why they are more good news for the Territory economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question because today is that day in the month of October when the ABS releases its employment figures at 11 am around Australia, as is their want every month. Those figures released today make it clear that the Territory economy continues to grow very strongly indeed. In annual terms, Territory trend employment increased by 7%. That is the highest growth rate across Australia. We are now surging ahead of the other growth states, Western Australia and Queensland. We are well ahead of places like Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia and, of course, with figures such as we have, we are well above the national average.
In comparison, in the Territory to September 2006, trend full-time employment was up 7.2% to 87 605; trend part-time employment is up 6% to 21 380.
It is interesting that the trend participation rate, that is the measure of how many people are actively engaged in the labour market as a percentage of 15- to 65-year-olds in the population, now stands at 73.5%. That is far and away the highest in the country. For many years, we were the highest in the country. More recently, we have been second and third. It is the highest Territory participation rate recorded since way back in February 2003. So, again, it is a very healthy statistic in terms of the increase in the number in employment.
These are good figures and they reinforce what people living in the Territory already know. If you want to come here from interstate or overseas, if you have finished your education, you have your diploma, your degree, you are graduating or you have finished your training, you can get good, well paid work in the Northern Territory. It reinforces the strong economic management of the Martin government in harnessing those expanding industries across the Territory to ensure that the benefits are felt right across the face of the economy in all industry sectors.
People like Chris Arthur of Coffey Projects, who I met and referred to yesterday, can come here confident of setting up business that they will do well, employing good people. They are terrific statistics, Madam Speaker. What is more important to myself and to the Martin government is the fact that they show the Territory community as the big winner.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question because today is that day in the month of October when the ABS releases its employment figures at 11 am around Australia, as is their want every month. Those figures released today make it clear that the Territory economy continues to grow very strongly indeed. In annual terms, Territory trend employment increased by 7%. That is the highest growth rate across Australia. We are now surging ahead of the other growth states, Western Australia and Queensland. We are well ahead of places like Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia and, of course, with figures such as we have, we are well above the national average.
In comparison, in the Territory to September 2006, trend full-time employment was up 7.2% to 87 605; trend part-time employment is up 6% to 21 380.
It is interesting that the trend participation rate, that is the measure of how many people are actively engaged in the labour market as a percentage of 15- to 65-year-olds in the population, now stands at 73.5%. That is far and away the highest in the country. For many years, we were the highest in the country. More recently, we have been second and third. It is the highest Territory participation rate recorded since way back in February 2003. So, again, it is a very healthy statistic in terms of the increase in the number in employment.
These are good figures and they reinforce what people living in the Territory already know. If you want to come here from interstate or overseas, if you have finished your education, you have your diploma, your degree, you are graduating or you have finished your training, you can get good, well paid work in the Northern Territory. It reinforces the strong economic management of the Martin government in harnessing those expanding industries across the Territory to ensure that the benefits are felt right across the face of the economy in all industry sectors.
People like Chris Arthur of Coffey Projects, who I met and referred to yesterday, can come here confident of setting up business that they will do well, employing good people. They are terrific statistics, Madam Speaker. What is more important to myself and to the Martin government is the fact that they show the Territory community as the big winner.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016