Unemployment Rates Drop Across the Hunter

BY BELLA MIDDLETON

                                  

                                            

Unemployment rates across the Hunter have significantly dropped, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. 

In December 2022, the unemployment rate in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie dropped from 3% to 2.8% percent, while the Hunter Valley rates dropped from 4.6%  to 2.7%. 

The drop sees the Hunter region outperform the rest of New South Wales, with the state-wide average sitting at 3.5%. 

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes, said the numbers paint the picture of a strong and healthy economy across the region.

"This is unheard of in recent times. These figures continue to show a bright picture for people in our region seeking work and no signs of a change in the difficulties businesses are having seeking to attract workers from the ranks of the unemployed," Mr Hawes said. 

Youth unemployment rates across the area are also stabilising at 7.5%, which has halved compared to pre-COVID figures across the region. 

"It's really showing that the youth, if they want to give themselves the opportunity to join the workforce, they can do so. That's really encouraging, given the start we need those people to have in life, in terms of workforce commitment and engagement," Mr Hawes said. 

"We've got plenty of businesses that are as busy as they've ever been, and we think on-balance, the region will do quite well, even though many economists are tipping a downturn towards mid-2023."

The workforce participation rate in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie has remained above the 70% mark, with the Hunter Valley rates returning to its pre-Covid figure of 64%. 

Over 32,700 jobs have been created in the Hunter region since December 2019, a growth of 9% at a time when the ABS estimated the workforce grew by 6.7%. 

Hunter's Unemployment Figures Back on Track Despite Huge Vacancies

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Newcastle's jobless rate is now back to pre-COVID levels, despite some growing pains as we get back to work.

The unemployment rate landed at 5.8 percent last month, compared to an 11 percent peak during last year's pandemic and 7.6 percent in January. 

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes says the data looks good for the future of the Hunter's economic recovery.

"We haven't seen the cliff that some were potentially anticipating with the end of Jobkeeper," Mr Hawes said.

"There are sectors of our economy locally that are coping with COVID and in fact doing very well."

Despite the promising figures, there's been a record number of job ads and high vacancies in jobs like hospitality, medicine, sales, teaching, and clerical work. 

The Hunter's jobless rate also remains above both the state and national jobless average.

Mr Hawes says there's still "a bit of work to be done".

"We're getting down to that part where it starts to get difficult," Mr Hawes. "If businesses are going so well and they're after people and the unemployment rate's so low, the pool obviously gets a lot smaller."

"We are hearing a lot of stories that businesses aren't getting the response they anticipated."

"Meeting the needs of both business and meeting the needs of people that are unemployed that are seeking work, we have to do a little reconciliation to understand what those linkages are."

"[We have to] make sure that the programs that are out there are fit for purpose, and that any support, be it financial or training or whatever else is out there, is also current and is also relevant."

New Report Predicts Homelessness To Rise by 40 percent in Newcastle, over Next 12 months

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Equity Economics report ‘A Wave of Disadvantage Across NSW: Impact of COVID-19’ released today by NCOSS predicts in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie homelessness is set to increase by 40.5% within a year.

Homelessness in the Hunter is set to have proportionally higher increases than other parts of NSW, reflecting already high levels of homelessness and higher local increases in unemployment.

More than 10,000 people are now on the waiting list for social housing in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, with concerns this number could increase by 40 percent over the next six months.

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery says at the current rate of construction, it would take 37 years to build enough public housing properties to clear the backlog in her electorate alone.

"There's been a long time since Government has really built specifically public housing," Ms Hornery said. "It's a priority, and the Government, all levels of Government, need to make sure funding public housing and building public housing, which is a great way to employ people as well, is a priority for them." 

Ms Hornery says the current waiting times for public housing are "unacceptable" and will put thousands of vulnerable Australians at further risk.

"If you don't have a home over your head, then you have nothing really," Ms Hornery said. "Not only does homelessness in itself create a great deal of difficulties and problems for people, it's terrible for children, and it also means it's very hard for people to get jobs."

Mark Degotardi, CEO of the Community Housing Industry Association NSW, says the housing crisis is a "looming catastrophe" which may put 88,000 families in housing stress over the next 12 months.

"Before COVID-19 community organisations and the property sector were calling for 5,000 new social housing properties a year over the next decade," Mr Degotardi said. "That need is even more pressing now - this report shows when this recession reaches its peak, thousands of struggling families may have nowhere to go."