Labour Force

Western Australia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 5.2 per cent to 5.1 per cent between June and July. The 5.1 per cent rate recorded in three of the past four months is WA's lowest since the current data series began in February 1978, and substantially below level of 6.3 per cent in July 2003.

However, WA's employment fell by 0.4 per cent over the month, and employment has fallen by 2 per cent from its May 2004 peak. Employment growth of 1.6 per cent over the year to July was slower than population growth of 2.1 per cent. The fall in WA's unemployment rate over recent months and in the past year was due mainly to a sharp drop in the participation rate to 64.9 per cent, its lowest level since February 1993.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from 5.6 per cent to 5.7 per cent over the month to July despite a small rise (0.2 per cent) in employment. Australia's unemployment rate has edged upwards in each of the past two months, from a 23-year low of 5.5 per cent in May 2004. In July 2003, the unemployment rate was 6.2 per cent.

Source: ABS Cat.6202.0