Unemployment rate: WESTERN Australia’s unemployment rate fell to 2.8 per cent in February 2008, down from 3.1 per cent a year earlier. The number of unemployed persons fell by 15.9 per cent or 6,300 in February, while the state’s labour force fell by 0.6 per cent or 7,000. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell to 4 per cent in February 2008, from 4.6 per cent a year previously. The number of unemployed persons fell by 3.7 per cent or 16,800 in February, while the national labour force grew by 0.2 per cent or 19,800. Source: ABS Cat. 6202.0 Employment growth: EMPLOYMENT in WA fell by 0.1 per cent or 700 in February 2008 to 1.13 million, but is up by 3.6 per cent or 39,900 over the year, with full-time employment up by 6 per cent over this period while part-time employment is down by 1.9 per cent. National employment grew by 0.34 per cent or 36,600 in February 2008 to 10.7 million, and by 2.9 per cent or 297,800 over the year, with full-time employment up by 2.9 per cent over this period while part-time employment is up by 2.8 per cent. Source: ABS Cat. 6202.0 ANZ job advertisements: IN WA, the number of job advertisements in major metropolitan newspapers grew by 3.7 per cent to an average of 3,837 per week in February 2008. Over the year to February, the number of job advertisements in WA is down by 11.2 per cent. Nationally, the number of job ads in major metropolitan newspapers grew by 0.3 per cent to an average of 19,192 per week in February 2008. Over the year to February, the number of job ads across Australia is down by 3.4 per cent. Source: ANZ Bank
