MEDIA RELEASE
8 September 2011	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra Time)	108/2011

The seasonally adjusted Australian unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage points to 5.3 per cent in August, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

The ABS reported the number of people employed decreased by 9,700 to 11,432,600 in August. The decrease in employment was driven by a decrease in full-time employment, down 12,600 people to 8,034,900, which was offset by an increase in part-time employment, up 2,900 people to 3,397,600.

The number of people unemployed increased by 18,400 people to 636,800 in August, reported the ABS.

The ABS monthly aggregate hours worked series showed an increase in August, up 4.6 million hours to 1,626.8 million hours.

The ABS reported a labour force participation rate in August of 65.6 per cent.

The ABS reported the labour force underutilisation rate was 12.3 per cent in August, up 0.1 percentage points from May.

More details are available in the August 2011 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) available for free download from the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>

Media notes:

• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) as the source.