10 October 2013	Media Release Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	176/2013
Australia's unemployment rate decreased to 5.6 per cent in September 2013

Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points to 5.6 per cent in September, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today. The trend unemployment rate remained at 5.7%.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the number of people unemployed decreased by 14,700 people to 697,100 in September, the ABS reported.

The ABS reported the number of people employed increased by 9,100 to 11,645,800 in September. The increase in employment was due to increased full-time employment, up 5,000 to 8,133,700 and part-time employment, up 4,100 people to 3,512,100. The increase in total employment was driven by an increase in male full-time employment and an increase in female part-time employment.

The ABS monthly seasonally adjusted aggregate hours worked series showed a decrease in September, down 6.4 million hours to 1,641.5 million hours.

The ABS reported a seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate decrease of 0.1 percentage points to 64.9 per cent in September.

More details are in the September 2013 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), as well as the upcoming September 2013 issue of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001) due for release next week on October 17. These publications are available for free download (after release) from the ABS website - www.abs.gov.au.


Media note:
When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.