Jobs Bounce Back In The Hunter After COVID Crash

 BY IAN CROUCH

 The latest jobs figures for the Hunter show a continuing improvement in the unemployment rate since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The jobless rate in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie fell by 1.4per cent in December to 7 per cent, down from a peak of 11 per cent in June with around 20,000 jobs recovered since then.

Across the Hunter, the rate fell from 6.5 per cent in November to 5.9 per cent.

The best news is in the youth unemployment rate, which has fallen significantly from 16.1 per cent to 6.3.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO, Bob Hawes says the figures suggest many of the jobs lost up until June last year have largely been recovered, but some sectors of the region's economy are still feeling the pinch.

"While the labour force figures point to a sharp recovery, the economy remains fragile, with certain sectors still disproportionately affected, including entertainment, travel and businesses that rely on international patronage," he said.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes

Unemployment Up Again In The Hunter

 BY IAN CROUCH

  Unemployment is on the rise again in the Hunter after encouraging signs in July and August.

The jobless rate for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie rose from 7 per cent in August to 9 per cent last month, while the Hunter Valley rate soared from 4.7 per cent in August to 8.1 per cent in September.

The number of people in work fell by 3,000 in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, and 7,000 in the Valley.

The Hunter Business Chamber says more people re-entering the job market and apprehension among employers over cuts to the JobKeeper subsidy are likely factors in the increase.

Chamber CEO, Bob Hawes is calling on the state government to provide payroll tax relief to the region's employers who are hiring staff.

 

 

 

 

Unemployment Worsens In Hunter As COVID-19 Takes Its Toll

BY IAN CROUCH

The latest unemployment rates for Newcastle and the Hunter paint a dim picture for the region as the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll on jobs.

The latest Bureau of Statistics figures show more than 40,000 jobs have been lost in the Hunter since the start of the pandemic in February, and the figure is expected to keep climbing as JobKeeper payments fall.

The jobless rate for June rose by 1 per cent in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie on the previous month to 11.1per cent, while in the Hunter Valley, the rate rose from 5.9 to 7.4 per cent.

The youth unemployment figure is even more disturbing, with 24.8 per cent of young people out of work in Newcastle.

The ABS jobs survey estimates 21,500 Newcastle people were unemployed in June, a record since regional figures were first collected in 1998.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO, Bob Hawes says the latest figures come as a shock.

"We had hoped that we had reached the bottom of the trough last month, so it is worrying to see unemployment continuing to worsen," he said.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes

Jobless Rate Spikes As The Impact Of COVID-19 Hits The Hunter

BY IAN CROUCH

The latest jobs figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics paint a grim picture of the labour market in the Hunter as the impact of COVID-19 hits home.

Almost 10,000 jobs have been lost in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie in the past month, taking to the unemployment rate from 5.8 to 7.7 per cent.

A further 8,400 jobs have been lost during April in the Hunter Valley, where the jobless rate has risen from 5.0 to 5.3 per cent in the past month.

The retail, food, hospitality, tourism and arts sectors have been especially hit hard with forced shutdowns due to COVID-19 health restrictions

Hunter Business Chamber CEO, Bob Hawes says the true unemployment rate may be much higher than reported on the latest ABS figures.

"As analysts pointed out last week, the April figures do not account for the impact of JobKeeper and the face that many people who are receiving the wage subsidy are out of work but not actively seeking a job, so have not registered as unemployed'" he said.

"Of major concern is the rise in youth unemployment, which now sits at 18.7 per cent in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 15.7 per cent in the Hunter Valley."

"The loss of jobs in the younger age groups confirms the impact of restrictions on accommodation and food services, arts and recreation, traditionally sectors that employ young people," Mr Hawes said.

The latest unemployment figures come as Swansea MP and state opposition deputy leader, Yasmin Catley calls on the Berejiklian government to allow beauty salons to reopen across the Hunter and NSW.

She says NSW should follow the lead of Queensland and the Northern Territory which have allowed the beauty industry to resume with a limit of 10 customers at a time in their salons.

Yasmin Catley says it's unfair for beauty salons, which employ a large proportion of female workers, to remain closed while hairdressing salons are allowed to keep operating.

"It has certainly caused some confusion not allowing the beauty sector to go back to work, even though hairdressers have continued working during the pandemic with no known clusters of transmission, so it's time. Women want this, we want the beauty sector open. We want the economic benefit from it," she said.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes

Swansea MP and NSW Deputy Opposition Leader Yasmin Catley

Economist Expects Spike In Hunter Jobless Figures Due To COVID-19

BY IAN CROUCH

The Hunter is bracing for a spike in the jobless rate when official figures are released next week.

It comes as the national jobless rate rose from 5.2 to 6.2 percent from March to April, leaving 600,000 people out of work due to the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market.

Hunter Research Foundation Centre lead economist, Dr Anthea Bill expects the region's unemployment rate will mirror the national picture.

"I'd say there's going to be similar kinds of trends that are going to be playing out," she said.

It's likely the Hunter will have shed 15,000 jobs in a month if the national downturn is reflected in the region.

Dr Anthea Bill Picture: hrf.com.au

Coronavirus Impacts Hunter's Jobless Rate

BY IAN CROUCH

New figures out today paint a grim picture of the jobs market in the Hunter.

The region's unemployment rate has more than doubled since mid February.

Business NSW data shows 19,000 jobs have been lost in the region between February 15 and April 4.

The jobless rate in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie now sits at 9.7 percent, while the rate in the Valley has risen from 4.5 in January to 10.1 percent.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO, Bob Hawes says while the accommodation, food services and arts sectors have been hit hard, other sectors appear to be coping well with the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Areas like education, health, retail - some of the bigger employers around the region haven't suffered as much and hopefully we can leverage those industries as we start the recovery process, knowing that we've got some industries that are going to hopefully get back to normal in a reasonably quick time period when that happens," he said.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO, Bob Hawes