LABOUR FORCE


CONTENTS

Employed persons

Unemployment

Participation rate


EMPLOYED PERSONS

In trend terms, the total number of persons employed in South Australia in December 2008 was 782,000, a decrease of 800 from the number of persons employed in November 2008 (782,800). The total number of persons employed in Australia in December 2008 was 10,749,400, an increase of 2,000 on the number employed in November 2008 (10,747,400).

The number of males employed full-time in South Australia in December 2008 was 363,700 (in trend terms), an increase from 363,500 in November 2008. The number of females employed full-time in South Australia in December 2008 was 173,100 (in trend terms), a decrease from 174,600 in November 2008.


UNEMPLOYMENT

The trend estimate unemployment rate for South Australia remained constant from November 2008 to December 2008 at 5.4%. Australia's unemployment rate also remained unchanged from November 2008 to December 2008 at 4.4%.

For South Australia, the trend unemployment rate for males remained constant from November 2008 to December 2008 at 5.1%. The trend unemployment rate for females in South Australia rose slightly from 5.7% in November 2008 to 5.8% in December 2008.

PARTICIPATION RATE

The trend estimate of the participation rate for South Australia in December 2008 was 63.3%, down slightly from 63.4% in November 2008. Australia's trend participation rate also decreased slightly from 65.1% in November 2008 to 65.0% in December 2008.

For South Australia, the trend participation rate for males dropped slightly from 70.5% in November 2008 to 70.4% in December 2008. The Australian participation rate for males also decreased slightly from 72.2% in November 2008 to 72.1% in December 2008. The participation rate for South Australian females remained constant from November 2008 to December 2008 at 56.5%. The Australian female participation rate decreased slightly over this period from 58.2% in November 2008 to 58.1% in December 2008.