Aust. jobless toll jumps 54,600

Press, 11 March 1983, Page 8

Aust. jobless toll jumps 54,600

NZPA Canberra A total of 746,300 Australians, or 10.7 per cent of the work-force, were unemployed in February — a rise of 54,600 from January. There was a slight fall — from 187,900 to 180,500 - in the number of 15 to 19-year-olds looking for their first job. . But unemployment among over 20-year-olds increased from 437,600 in January to 471,500, according to the Bureau of Statistics. A January fall in the number of people looking for part-time work was offset by the February figures that rose from 66,200 to 94,200. Those seeking full-time work went from 625,500 to 652,000. In seasonally adjusted terms the unemployment rate rose slightly from 9.2 per cent of the work-force in January to 9.6 per cent .last month.

These figures show a total of 668,600 out of work compared with 639,500 the previous month. Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory showed a drop in their unemployment rates. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, showed large increases, while South Australia and Western Australia recorded only a slight rise. In N.S.W. 278.200 or 11.3 per cent were out of work in February compared with 251,400 or 10.5 per cent in January. Victoria’s rate went from 157,100 (8.7 per cent) to 172.200 (9.3 per cent). Queensland’s February figure was 124,100 (11.5 per cent) compared with January at 116,200 (10.9 per cent). South Australia went from 66.200 to 68,900, or 11 per

cent to 11.1 per cent. Western Australia jumped from 61,900 (9.9 per cent) to 65,900 (10.4 per cent). Tasmania had 23,300 people out of work in February (12.4 per cent) and dropped to 21,900 (11.7 per cent) last month. In the Northern Territory the rate dropped from 8.1 per cent to 7.7 per cent — 4900 in February compared with 5000 in January. In the Australian Capital Territory 10,100 were out of work in February (8.8 per cent) compared with 10,600 (9.5 per cent) in January. Australia also has an overall balance of payments deficit of $1059 million in February Figures issued in Canberra showed a trade deficit of $4B million, a current account deficit of $487 million and a net apparent capital outflow of $572 million.