Unemployment was higher in South Australia last month edging closer to 6 per cent.
Nationally, the rate fell 0.1 to 5.5 per cent, seasonally adjusted.
National trend estimates released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show unemployment increased to 687,700, while the participation rate remained steady.
In South Australia the unemployment rate reached 5.9 per cent, the highest of the mainland states.
Minister for Employment Grace Portolesi said this was a slight increase from the previous
month’s revised figures.
“Although the unemployment rate rose in May, we have seen an additional three thousand full
time jobs created this month,” she said.
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“The figures show that total employment has increased for the ninth consecutive month.
“Over this nine month period there have been 14,800 new jobs created, which is more than
1600 jobs a month,” she said.
While there has been an increase in the headline unemployment rate, this reflects an overall
increase in the participation rate.
“The current participation rate is 63.4 per cent and has risen for eight consecutive months.”
The figures show little movement in the national jobs market.
The trend unemployment rate rose to 5.6%, after remaining at 5.5% for three months, the ABS’s commentary said.
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“The number of people unemployed decreased by 3,600 to 682,900 in May 2013 (seasonally adjusted), while in trend terms the number of people unemployed in May 2013 rose by 4,700 people to 687,700.”
There was a more significant jump in the rate of under-employed.
Each quarter, the ABS surveys ask questions to identify how many part-time workers are underemployed.
When added to the unemployment rate, this provides a measure of labour underutilisation.
“In May 2013, there were 908,600 underemployed persons (seasonally adjusted).
“The underemployment rate increased from 7.1 per cent in February 2013 to 7.4 per cent in May 2013.
“When added to the unemployment rate, the labour underutilisation rate was 12.9 per cent in May 2013, up from 12.6 per cent in February 2013.”
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