❓ Mr. Nalder questions why WA had the worst unemployment rate during Phase 1 restrictions, despite all states being on a level playing field. The Premier responds by citing various factors influencing unemployment and highlighting WA's low infection rate and open economy.
AnsweredQoN 438Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
438. Mr D.C. NALDER to
the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. The Premier's
argument is that this data is from before the phase 2 restrictions. Can the Premier explain why Western Australia was
the worst-performing state in the country when every jurisdiction was on
a level playing field in phase 1?
438. Mr D.C. NALDER to
the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. The Premier's
argument is that this data is from before the phase 2 restrictions. Can the Premier explain why Western Australia was
the worst-performing state in the country when every jurisdiction was on
a level playing field in phase 1?
AnswerView source ↗
As I said, the data will move around. Sometimes it is
dependent upon the density and take-up of the JobKeeper arrangements—whether
people are actually taking JobKeeper, or are out there looking for work. There
is a range of factors. It is a very unusual environment with what is going on
nationally at the moment. If I can just take the member through this, as I said,
Queensland's unemployment rate is 7.9 per cent; South Australia's
is 7.9 per cent; Western Australia's is 8.1 per cent; and the
Australian Capital Territory's is 3.8 per cent, which probably reflects
the fact that the vast majority of people there work for government and, as a consequence,
no-one lost their job; naturally, they were quite immune to what is going on.
The figures will move
around and each state will, over the course of this, pick up their employment
at different rates from other states. The two things I want to emphasise
to Western Australians are: one, we have the lowest rate of infection of
anywhere in the world, and that has been very good for the health of our
citizens and good for our economy; and two, our economy is now far more opened
up due to our border arrangements with the east than is the case in any other
state in Australia.
dependent upon the density and take-up of the JobKeeper arrangements—whether
people are actually taking JobKeeper, or are out there looking for work. There
is a range of factors. It is a very unusual environment with what is going on
nationally at the moment. If I can just take the member through this, as I said,
Queensland's unemployment rate is 7.9 per cent; South Australia's
is 7.9 per cent; Western Australia's is 8.1 per cent; and the
Australian Capital Territory's is 3.8 per cent, which probably reflects
the fact that the vast majority of people there work for government and, as a consequence,
no-one lost their job; naturally, they were quite immune to what is going on.
The figures will move
around and each state will, over the course of this, pick up their employment
at different rates from other states. The two things I want to emphasise
to Western Australians are: one, we have the lowest rate of infection of
anywhere in the world, and that has been very good for the health of our
citizens and good for our economy; and two, our economy is now far more opened
up due to our border arrangements with the east than is the case in any other
state in Australia.
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