Work dries up for WA women

WA women are feeling the effects of the State's economic softness with female unemployment hitting an 11-year high.

Bureau of Statistics figures reveal female under-employment, which includes part-time workers not getting enough hours, is at its highest since records were started in the late 1970s.

WA's unemployment rate lifted slightly in February to 5.8 per cent. Over the past three years it is up two percentage points, the biggest increase in any State or Territory.

Nationally, the jobless rate edged down to 6.3 per cent after a 15,600 lift in total employment.

In WA, the number of people with full-time work slipped by 2600 but this was more than offset by an increase in part-time workers.

The increase was not big enough to cover a lift in the number of people unable to find a job.

WA women have it toughest with under- employment at 10.8 per cent - higher than peaks after the 1990-91 recession.

Unemployment for women rose to 6.1 per cent.

It was last at that level in early 2004 before the first mining boom was in full swing.

CommSec chief economist Craig James said the overall result was encouraging with an increase in total jobs and hours worked.

"The unemployment rate looks like it is topping out between 6 to 6.5 per cent, but much will depend on businesses and consumers gaining confidence and starting to spend more freely in coming months," he said.

Financial markets marginally wound back expectations the Reserve Bank would cut interest rates in April but still put it at 86 per cent.

A rate cut before the May pre-Budget meeting is fully priced in, with expectations the Reserve will eventually take official rates to an all-time low of 1.75 per cent.

The bureau also revealed that the nation's jobs market is not as strong as it had believed.