MEDIA RELEASE
15 October 2015	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	111/2015

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that Australia's estimated seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September 2015 remained at 6.2 per cent, despite a fall of 0.1 percentage points (based on unrounded estimates) from August 2015.

The seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate decreased 0.2 percentage points (based on unrounded estimates) to 64.9 per cent in September 2015.

The ABS reported the number of people employed decreased by 5,100 to 11,769,900 in September 2015 (seasonally adjusted). There were decreases in male full-time and part-time employment and female full-time employment, with the largest decrease in male full-time employment (down 11,000).

The ABS seasonally adjusted monthly hours worked in all jobs series increased in September 2015, up 12.2 million hours (0.7 per cent) to 1,638.0 million hours.

The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed decreased by 8,100 to 772,500 in September 2015.

In trend terms, employment increased to 11,775,800 in September 2015 and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.2 per cent for the third consecutive month. Trend employment increased by 232,400 since September 2014 while the civilian population aged 15 years and over increased by 286,400 over the same period.

More details are in the September 2015 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), as well as the upcoming September 2015 issue of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001) due for release on October 22. These publications are available for free download (after release) from the ABS website www.abs.gov.au.


Media note:

• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
• Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.