PERSONS NOT IN THE LABOUR FORCE
Persons not in the labour force represent that group of the population who, during the reference week of the LFS, are neither employed nor unemployed (see diagram 6.2). Interest in this group centres primarily on their potential to participate in the labour force.
There were 3.8 million people aged 15-69 years not in the labour force at September 2004 (table 6.39). Some 22% of people outside the labour force (855,300) were marginally attached to the labour force. These people wanted to work and were either actively looking for work but were not available to start work in the reference week, or were available to start work (within four weeks) but were not actively looking for work. Of people not in the labour force, the proportion of women who were marginally attached (24%) was higher than that for men (20%). Of the marginally attached, 11% of men were actively looking for work compared with 6% of women.
In September 2004 there were 82,000 discouraged jobseekers. Discouraged jobseekers are people who are marginally attached to the labour force, want to work and are available to start work, but are not actively looking for work as they believe they will not find a job for labour market related reasons. Of men who were marginally attached to the labour force, 11% were discouraged jobseekers, compared with 9% of women.
6.39 CIVILIAN POPULATION AGED 15-69 years, Labour force status - September 2004
|
 | | | | | Males | Females | Persons |
| | | | | '000 | '000 | '000 |
|
| Civilian population aged 15-69 years | 6,989.9 | 7,081.4 | 14,071.3 |
| Persons in the labour force | 5,631.6 | 4,600.5 | 10,232.1 |
| | Employed | 5,321.1 | 4,348.5 | 9,669.6 |
| | Unemployed | 310.5 | 252.0 | 562.5 |
| Persons not in the labour force | 1,358.3 | 2,480.8 | 3,839.2 |
| | With marginal attachment to the labour force | 269.5 | 585.8 | 855.3 |
| | | Wanted to work and were actively looking for work | 28.9 | 36.5 | 65.4 |
| | | | Were available to start work within four weeks | 20.4 | 26.3 | 46.6 |
| | | | Were not available to start work within four weeks | 8.6 | 10.2 | 18.8 |
| | | Wanted to work but were not actively looking for work and were available to start work within four weeks | 240.6 | 549.3 | 789.9 |
| | | | Discouraged jobseekers | 28.4 | 53.6 | 82.0 |
| | | | Other | 212.2 | 495.8 | 707.9 |
| | Without marginal attachment to the labour force | 1,088.9 | 1,895.0 | 2,983.9 |
| | | Wanted to work but were not actively looking for work and were not available to start work within four weeks | 120.4 | 213.0 | 333.4 |
| | | Did not want to work | 857.8 | 1,618.3 | 2,476.1 |
| | | Permanently unable to work | 110.7 | 63.7 | 174.4 |
|
| Source: Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia, September 2004 (6220.0). |
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