Jobs market slows, but part-timers surge
The employment market continues to slow with almost 28,000 full time jobs disappearing through the first full month of the Abbott Government.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported today the nation's jobless rate edged up to 5.7 per cent through October.
While total employment increased by 1000 it was only a surge in part time jobs that stopped total unemployment not climbing further.
The number of people out of work lifted by 9100 to 709,300.
Despite the soggy job figures there were some positive signs with total hours worked lifting by 6.2 million.
Unemployment in WA actually fell by 0.3 of a percentage point to 4.3 per cent, its lowest level since the start of the year.
But the number of full time jobs across the State dropped by 3600. It was offset by a lift in part time workers of more than 10,000.
Elsewhere, Tasmania's unemployment rate fell to below eight per cent for the first time since May.
Unemployment was steady in the Northern Territory at 5.3 per cent and in Queensland at 5.9 per cent.
It lifted in the ACT (to 4.4 per cent), South Australia (to 6.6 per cent), Victoria (to 5.9 per cent) and in NSW (to 5.9 per cent).
