Australia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate fell to 6.1% in December from 6.2% on the previous month’s figures.
About 37,400 people found jobs in December, taking the total employed to nearly 11,680,000, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported.
“Today’s release shows that employment is growing, unemployment is coming down and more people are actively looking for work,” employment minister Eric Abetz said.
“In 2014, 213,900 new jobs were created and jobs growth averaged around 17,800 per month; more than triple the average monthly jobs growth in 2013 of around 5,000 a month.”
But Labor warned that the government would not be able to deliver on the promise of creating 1m jobs in five years.
“An unemployment rate with a six in front of it is still unacceptably high in this nation,” opposition employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor said.
More women than men found full-time jobs – 23,300 versus 18,200. The number of active job seekers fell by 16,200 to 759,200.
The November joblessness figure of 6.3% was the highest for 12 years. The ABS subsequently revised that figure down to 6.2%.
The unemployment rate in December 2013 was 5.8%
The agriculture and services sector have had a boost in jobs thanks to free trade agreements signed by the Coalition, Abetz said.
Labor said the Coalition is has hurt job prospects in the manufacturing and shipbuilding industries.
.png?w=600)
