MEDIA RELEASE
11 September 2014	Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)	133/2014

Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.3 percentage points to 6.1 per cent in August 2014, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

The seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate increased by 0.4 percentage points to 65.2 per cent in August 2014.

The ABS reported the number of people employed increased by 121,000 to 11,703,500 in August 2014 (seasonally adjusted). The increase in employment was driven by increased part-time employment for both males (up 65,400 persons) and females (up 41,300 persons). In trend terms the number of people employed increased by 18,700 in August 2014.

The ABS monthly seasonally adjusted aggregate hours worked series increased in August 2014, up 0.1 million hours (less than 0.01%) to 1,609.5 million hours.

The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed decreased by 33,500 to 755,100 in August 2014, the ABS reported.

The seasonally adjusted underemployment rate was 8.5 per cent in August 2014, an increase of 0.7 percentage points from May 2014. Combined with the unemployment rate of 6.1 per cent, the latest seasonally adjusted estimate of total labour force underutilisation was 14.6 per cent in August 2014, an increase of 1.0 percentage points from May 2014.

More details are in the August 2014 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), as well as the upcoming August 2014 issues of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001) and Labour Force, Australia, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003) due for release next week on September 18. These publications are available for free download (after release) from the ABS website - www.abs.gov.au.

Media note:

• When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.
• The ABS is aware that the seasonally adjusted increase in employment in August 2014, particularly part-time employment, was unusually strong and, as a result, has extensively validated the questionnaire, processes and systems associated with the estimates. Further details are included in the publication.
• The ABS encourages the use of the trend series which smooths the seasonally adjusted series and can provide a better basis for analysing the underlying behaviour of the series.
• Media request and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070