LABOUR FORCE


CONTENTS

Employed persons

Unemployment

Participation rate


EMPLOYED PERSONS

Following a period of steady growth, the total number of persons employed in South Australia has plateaued over the last three months. The December 2010 estimate of 815,100 persons employed is 1.3% above the estimate recorded in December 2009 (805,000). Nationally, a total of 11,418,100 persons were employed in December 2010; an increase of 3.3% over the corresponding month of the previous year.

The number of males employed full-time in South Australia increased marginally to 364,100 (in trend terms) in December 2010. Looking at the composition of all male employees, those working full-time accounted for 83.3% of the male workforce, up from 80.9% in December 2009. The number of females employed full-time increased for the fourteenth consecutive month, up marginally to 191,400, with the December 2010 estimate 5.0% higher than the corresponding month of the previous year. At that time full-time female employees accounted for 49.5% of the female workforce, but in December 2010 this proportion was 50.6%.


UNEMPLOYMENT

South Australia's trend unemployment rate for 2010 has shown a general upward trend and was 5.6% in December 2010. The estimate remains above the national unemployment rate for the eighth consecutive month, with the Australian unemployment rate (in trend terms) trending downward over the same period. The Australian unemployment rate for December 2010 fell slightly to 5.1%.

From a low of 5.1% in early 2010, the trend unemployment rate for South Australian males has generally risen, and in December 2010 the estimate rose to 5.8%. Over the same period the trend unemployment rate for South Australian females has fluctuated, increasing to 5.5% in December 2010. The female unemployment rate remains below the male rate for the sixth consecutive month.

Nationally, the trend unemployment rates for males and females in December 2010 remained steady at 4.9% and 5.5% respectively.

PARTICIPATION RATE

Following a period of relative stability in early 2010, the trend estimate of the participation rate for South Australia has generally risen and was 63.6% in December 2010. Australia's trend participation rate has followed a similar pattern over the same period, increasing to 66.0% in December.

Falling from a high of 70.3% in early 2010, the South Australian participation rate for males has remained relatively stable for the remainder of the year and was 69.7% in December 2010. The Australian participation rate for males has gradually risen over the same period reaching 72.9% at years end. From a low of 56.7% at the beginning of the year, the participation rate for South Australian females has generally trended upward and was 57.7% in December. The Australian female participation rate rose slightly to 59.2% in December 2010.