Unemployment rates in Victoria have increased over the June-July period, despite more jobs being created.
Figures released this week from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show Victoria’s unemployment has increased to 6.3 per cent, up 0.3 from last month.
The number of unemployed persons in Victoria reached 772,300 compared to 769,300 in June.
The jobless figures come as participation also rose, with the Bureau of Statistics survey suggesting an estimated 38,500 jobs created in July.
Senior economist for St George Bank, Janu Chan, told Reuters the steady rise was still good for the economy.
“We did see the unemployment rate rise but given job growth has also been quite strong it’s still a positive,” she said.
Victoria came slightly behind Western Australia and Queensland with the largest rise in unemployment, with the biggest decline in South Australia.
Across Australia, the unemployment figure has risen to 6.3 per cent.
The employment to population ratio looks at persons aged 15 years and older. It covers 26,000 households per month and covers 0.32 per cent of the Australian population.
The steady and solid nature of the labour market at the moment has been attributed to a rise in participation, according to the ABS Labour Force report.
The increase in employment was driven by increases in both full-time and part-time employment, with the largest increase seen in part-time employment for males (up 20,400), according to the report.
Despite a significant rise in full-time work (12,400 people) and part-time work (26,100 people), total hours worked fell 0.2 per cent in July.
The release of job figures comes as the Productivity Commission put forward a report earlier this week suggesting a cut to Sunday penalty rates for hospitality and retail workers, instead making them the same as Saturday.
The cut to penalty rates would exclude nurses, paramedics and other frontline occupations, while minimum wage workers could expect a moderate rise.
Some have argued a cut to penalty rates would see an increase in job growth, while others believe it would be taking advantage of those who work on a Sunday.
For an overview of unemployment figures, visit www.abs.gov.au.
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