Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt
September 22, 2016
Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Thursday shows unemployment in the Wide Bay-Burnett was down 2.4 percent over the same period last year.
Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the latest regional labour force data showed Wide Bay and Logan-Beaudesert had the largest unemployment rate decrease in the state, but there were still regions that were doing it tough.
“It is an encouraging sign that a number of regions across Queensland have recorded a fall in their unemployment rate in the past 12 months,” Mr Pitt said.
“This month also shows improvement in the unemployment rates for the Darling Downs, Maranoa, Fitzroy, Mackay, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba in the 12 months to August 2016.”
Mr Pitt said the State Government was acutely aware of the need to tackle the state’s unemployment, especially in regional areas, and its focus was on creating job opportunities.
“That’s why we are now offering a higher incentive to Queensland businesses to employ apprentices and trainees through our Payroll Tax Rebate,” he said
“For this financial year. any employer in Queensland with apprentices or trainees on staff will now be able to claim a 50 per cent rebate.”
Mr Pitt said the doubling of the rebate for hiring apprentices and trainees made Queensland’s payroll tax system even more attractive.
“Our $100 million Back to Work regional jobs package also aims to support up to 8,000 jobs in regional Queensland and includes payments of $10,000 for employers who hire an unemployed worker, rising to $15,000 for the long-term unemployed.
“I would encourage regional employers to take advantage of these schemes and the significant payments available for taking on an unemployed person.”
Other job creation initiatives include a $40 billion four-year infrastructure program with $10.7 billion earmarked for 2016-17 supporting an estimated 31,000 jobs. Almost half the 2016-17 infrastructure spending ($4.9 billion) is targeted to regional Queensland.
Related article: South Burnett Unemployment Drops 26pc