Job ads up 42% in Western Australia

Job advertisements in Western Australia have grown 42.1 per cent in the last 12 months, according to the latest ANZ job advertisement series.

This is despite a slight dip of 0.7 per cent in WA in August.

Nationally job advertisements rose by 2.6 per cent last month, up 36 per cent on a year ago.

This follows a 1.4 per cent rise in July.

"The pick up in job advertisements in recent months suggests Australian businesses are confident about the local outlook despite the uncertain global economic environment," ANZ chief economist Warren Hogan said.

"This suggests the Australian economy is maintaining good momentum into the second half of 2010."

Mr Hogan said the solid rise in total job advertisements disguised some "sharp disparities" in the performance of different states and territories.

"There were some big monthly rises in job advertisements in the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Queensland," he said.

"Tasmanian job advertisements were also slightly higher."

"This helped to offset falls in job advertisements in the ACT, South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria."

Mr Hogan expects regional disparities in job ads to persist in the coming period, with the resource states of Western Australia, Queensland and potentially NSW likely to outperform.