MEDIA RELEASE
18 August 2016	Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)	90/2016

Monthly trend employment in Australia increased in July 2016, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

In July 2016, trend employment increased by 11,800 persons to 11,955,100 persons - a monthly growth rate of 0.1 per cent. Trend part-time employment growth continued, with an increase of 10,600 persons, while full-time employment increased by 1,200 persons.

“The latest Labour Force release shows continued strength in part-time employment growth. Over the past six months there has been an increase of 82,600 people working part-time, compared with a 21,600 decrease in those working full-time,” said the Program Manager of ABS' Labour and Income Branch, Jacqui Jones.

The trend monthly hours worked in all jobs increased by 0.9 million hours (0.06 per cent), although it remained slightly below the high in December 2015.

The trend unemployment rate remained steady at 5.7 per cent. The participation rate also remained steady at 64.8 per cent. These figures have been constant since May 2016.

Trend series smooth the more volatile seasonally adjusted estimates and provide the best measure of the underlying behaviour of the labour market.

The seasonally adjusted number of persons employed increased by 26,200 in July 2016. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2016 decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 5.7 per cent and the seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate remained unchanged at 64.9 per cent.

More details are in the July 2016 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0). In addition, further information, including regional labour market information, can be found in the upcoming July 2016 issue of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001), due for release on 25 August.

These publications are available for free download (after release) from the ABS website: https://www.abs.gov.au.

Media note:

• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
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• The ABS produces trend estimates to provide a more reliable indicator of the underlying behaviour of the Labour Force series. Trend estimates were introduced into the Labour Force series in the mid 1980s and are available back to February 1978. Trend estimates are considered the best indicators of the underlying behaviour in the labour market. See paragraphs 28 to 37 of the Explanatory Notes in Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0).
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