MEDIA RELEASE
15 January 2015	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	03/2015
Australia's unemployment rate decreased to 6.1 per cent in December 2014

Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points from a revised November 2014 estimate to 6.1 per cent in December 2014, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

The seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate increased by less than 0.1 percentage points to 64.8 per cent in December 2014.

The ABS reported the number of people employed increased by 37,400 to 11,679,400 in December 2014 (seasonally adjusted). The increase in employment was driven by increased full-time employment for both females (up 23,300) and males (up 18,200). The increase in full-time employment was marginally offset by a fall in part-time employment, down 4,100.

The ABS seasonally adjusted aggregate monthly hours worked series decreased in December 2014, down 7.7 million hours (0.5%) to 1,597.8 million hours.

The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed decreased by 16,200 to 759,200 in December 2014, the ABS reported.

More details are in the December 2014 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), as well as the upcoming December 2014 issue of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001) due for release next week on January 22. 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.
• Media request and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.