Bleak prospects for Tasmania

By Ben Courtice

HOBART -- Unemployment in Tasmania reached 12.6% according to seasonally adjusted figures released on January 14.

This is the highest figure recorded in Australia since monthly surveys began in 1978. The national average is 11.3%.

Unemployment for 15-19 year olds reached a staggering 40% in December.

The ANZ employment series, released on January 11, shows that job advertisements rose elsewhere in Australia; in Tasmania they were down 6% from the previous month. One of the central election promises of the Liberals was a pledge to increase jobs. All the government could say upon the release of the latest figures was that it is “difficult to believe”.

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