LABOUR FORCE


CONTENTS

Employed persons

Unemployment

Participation rate


EMPLOYED PERSONS

In trend terms, the total number of persons employed in South Australia has increased to be 811,500 persons in August 2010. This represents an increase of 1.9% over the estimate recorded in August 2009 (796,100) with more than half of the growth occurring between August and December 2009. Nationally a total of 11,258,200 persons were employed in August 2010; an increase of 2.9% over the corresponding month of the previous year.

The number of males employed full-time in South Australia increased slightly to be 359,100 (in trend terms) in August 2010. Looking at the composition of all male employees, those working full-time accounted for 82.3% of the male workforce, up from 81.1% in August 2009. The number of females employed full-time increased for the tenth consecutive month to be 188,800 in August 2010; 3.2% higher than the corresponding month of the previous year. At that time full-time female employees accounted for 49.4% and by August 2010 this proportion had risen to 50.3%.


UNEMPLOYMENT

After increasing in the first five months of the year, South Australia's trend unemployment rate has been relatively steady. The August 2010 estimate of 5.3% sees the series remain above the national rate of unemployment for the fifth consecutive month. Australia's unemployment rate (in trend terms) has fallen from 5.8% in mid 2009 to be 5.2% in August 2010.

From a high of 6.2% in June 2009, the trend unemployment rate for South Australian males has fallen for eight consecutive months and was 5.1% in February 2010. The series has been rising for the last six months with male unemployment 5.4% in August 2010. In contrast, the trend unemployment rate for South Australian females rose for 11 months from June 2009 before falling to 5.2% in August. The unemployment rate for South Australian females has been below males for two months.

Nationally, the trend unemployment rates for males and females in August 2010 were 5.0% and 5.3% respectively.

PARTICIPATION RATE

Following six months of relative stability, the trend estimate of the participation rate for South Australia has risen marginally in August 2010 to be 63.4%. Australia's trend participation rate has also remained relatively stable over the same period and was 65.4% in August.

In South Australia, the participation rate for males has been falling since the beginning of the year and was 69.6% in August 2010. The Australian participation rate for males has shown little movement for more than a year, holding steady at 72.3% in August 2010. From a peak of 58.0% in April and May 2009, the participation rate for South Australian females fell to 56.7% in early 2010, but has risen gradually since then to be 57.4% in August. The Australian female participation rate also rose marginally in August to be 58.7%.