1345.4 - SA Stats, Feb 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/02/2010   
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LABOUR FORCE


CONTENTS

Employed persons

Unemployment

Participation rate


EMPLOYED PERSONS

In trend terms, the total number of persons employed in South Australia in January 2010 (802,400) was 1.5% higher than the estimate for January 2009 (790,400) with most of the increase occurring in the last five months. The total number of persons employed in Australia in January 2010 was 10,936,200, an increase of 1.3% on the number employed in January 2009 (10,794,600).

EMPLOYED PERSONS, Trend, South Australia
Graph: EMPLOYED PERSONS, Trend, South Australia


The number of males employed full-time in South Australia in January 2010 was 352,500 (in trend terms); a 0.6% increase from the previous month (350,500). Looking at the composition of all male employees, those working full-time accounted for 80.6% of the male workforce, down from 84.5% in January 2009. The number of females employed full-time has increased slightly over the last two months to be 180,600 in January 2010. However, this estimate is 2.7% below the peak recorded in May 2009 (185,600). At that time full-time female employees accounted for 49.9% of the female workforce. In January 2010, this proportion was 49.4%.


UNEMPLOYMENT

The trend estimate unemployment rate for South Australia fell to 4.9% in January 2010; the lowest level since July 2008. Australian unemployment fell marginally to 5.4% for the same period. South Australia's rate has been lower than the national rate since May 2009.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, Trend
Graph: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, Trend


Having peaked at 6.2% in the middle of 2009, the trend unemployment rate for males in South Australia has fallen by 1.6 percentage points to be 4.6% in January 2010. For the second month running, the unemployment estimate for South Australian males is lower than that for females. Following a period of sharp decline in the first half of 2009, where the estimate fell from 5.7% to 4.9%, the trend unemployment rate for South Australian females increased until November 2009. Since that time the rate has held steady at 5.2%.

Nationally the trend unemployment rate for both males and females was 5.4% in January 2010.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, Trend, South Australia
Graph: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, Trend, South Australia



PARTICIPATION RATE

The trend estimate of the participation rate for South Australia has shown little movement over the last six months and was 63.2% in January 2010. Australia's trend participation rate has been relatively flat over the same period and was 65.3% in January 2010.

PARTICIPATION RATE, Trend
Graph: PARTICIPATION RATE, Trend


In South Australia, the participation rate for males rose for the sixth consecutive month to be 70.2% in January 2010. The Australian participation rate for males remained at 72.2%. In contrast to the movement in the male series, the participation rate for South Australian females has fallen for the eighth consecutive month. From a peak of 57.9% in April and May 2009, the estimate has fallen to 56.6% in January 2010. The Australian female participation rate remained steady at 58.5% in January 2010.

PARTICIPATION RATE, Trend, South Australia
Graph: PARTICIPATION RATE, Trend, South Australia