CREATING JOBS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AS UNEMPLOYMENT EDGES UP DUE TO COVID-19

The NSW Government today re-iterated its commitment to creating jobs for the tens of thousands of people unemployed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Latest jobs data released by the ABS shows the unemployment rate in NSW has risen from 6.3 to 6.4 per cent – from a low of 4.5 in January this year.
The Australian unemployment rate is 7.1 per cent as about 228,000 people across the country lost their jobs in May with 43,900 of these in NSW.
The NSW participation rate, that is the number of people employed or actively seeking employment, has fallen by 0.7 percentage points in May, which has cushioned the rise in the state’s actual unemployment rate.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Jobs Stuart Ayers said the Government had committed more than $13.6 billion in health and economic stimulus measures in the past three months to support people, businesses and communities and help create jobs.
“These are again sobering unemployment numbers and show why creating jobs has been the very highest priority for the Government at this time,” Mr Perrottet said.
“There is no more important purpose than ensuring people have a job as we move from response to the recovery phase of the pandemic. This will not only help people and their families but will benefit the wider community through direct spending.”
Mr Ayres said the focus is on returning people safely to work as well as creating new jobs with major infrastructure projects getting underway faster including the $750 million redevelopment of the Sydney Fish Market and Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport line.
“The rolling back of COVID restrictions will help restore jobs in the hard hit services sector and our $3 billion fast tracked infrastructure program will support the return of jobs in the construction sector.”
“Just last week we also announced a major industrial precinct on the doorstep of the new Western Sydney Airport, which will provide a huge jobs boost in that region in coming years.”
The $2.6 billion Mamre Road Precinct was one of 24 projects included in Tranche 2 of the NSW Government’s Planning System Acceleration Program that is fast-tracking planning assessments.
“Now more than ever we need to pull together to create jobs for those hit hard by the pandemic,” Mr Perrottet said.