The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data on regional jobs, released yesterday, confirms Tasmania is heading in the right direction.
The number of jobs across all regions of our state is up, the unemployment rate is down state-wide and the participation rate is up too according to the data comparing the 12-months to March 2015 to the same period last year.
This significant jobs growth is off the back of the best business confidence in the country.
Cawthorn Welding is a great example of a Tasmanian business experiencing growing demand in an economy that is building momentum.
The metal fabrication and boat building business has added two additional contractors to their steady workforce of 10 to meet demand.
Cawthorn Welding is just one of the many businesses creating jobs in Hobart and the South East, where the number of jobs is up 3.7 per cent according to the ABS.
The number of jobs in Launceston and the North East is also up by 2.2 per cent, and in the West and North West, jobs are up by 3.8 per cent.
The unemployment rate is also dropping across all regions, dropping 0.9 percentage points to 7.1 per cent in Launceston and the North East, down 0.6 percentage points to 6.6 per cent in Hobart and the South East, while in the West and North West it has dropped 1.4 percentage points to 7.6 per cent.
While there is still more work to be done, it is important that we build on the momentum created over the past 12 months since we came into Government. That’s why the State Budget will be all about building on the momentum, with jobs and the economy a key priority.