Unemployment in the Manning Valley is almost twice the national rate and increasing.
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Manning Valley Business Chamber (MVBC) reveals a 10.2 per cent unemployment rate for the region in its recent economic update report and states the rate is an increase of 1.7 per cent in 12 months. It cites as evidence Australian Government Department of Employment data for the December 2014 quarter of 8.5 per cent and the December 2015 quarter of 10.2 per cent.
The national unemployment rate is steady at 5.7 per cent according to the June 16 release of figures by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and looking to the Mid North Coast region, the unemployment rate for May is 6.7 per cent according to the Department of Employment – an increase of 0.9 per cent from 5.8 per cent to 6.7 per cent in the same period.
Manning Valley Business Chamber president Jeremy Thornton spoke to the issue of unemployment in the Manning Valley at the recent economic forum in Taree.
“There are 1000 more people unemployed in our area than the same time last year and it is almost double the national average,” Mr Thornton said.
“Despite this shocking statistic we don’t seem to be getting any attention. There are places in Australia that gather national media attention when their unemployment rate is just one per cent above the national average and we don’t seem to be the focus of any attention – media or the State and federal governments.
“We need our State and federal politicians to be working hard to stop this trend. It has to stop, something has to be done and it is up to them to step up and do it.”
NSW is broken into 28 labour force regions and the Mid North Coast is ranked at 23 in order of unemployment rates.
In May the Coffs Harbour – Grafton region secured the top ranking with the lowest unemployment rate of 2.8 per cent with the New England and North West region ranking last on the list with 8.3 per cent.