SA’s unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted, fell 0.3 per cent, down from 7.6 per cent in October, the third consecutive monthly drop.

It’s the lowest jobless rate for the state since April this year when SA recorded 7.3 per cent.

The lowest rate recorded this year was March when unemployment dropped to 6.5 per cent.

However, these figures have been tempered by the state registering the largest “underutilised” rate in the country at 18.2 per cent, well above the national average at 14.3 per cent. This rate measures the unemployed and those who want more employment.

SA also had the highest underemployed rate – people employed part-time who want to work more hours and are available to start – in the country at 10.9 per cent.

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The latest employment figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded 63,900 South Australians out of work.

Australia’s unemployment rate fell 1 per cent to 5.8 per cent.

The largest unemployment increase was in Victoria which jumped 0.6 percentage points.

However, South Australia still has the worst unemployment rate of all the states and territories.

The more stable trend rate dropped marginally from 7.6 to 7.5 per cent.

Employment, Higher Education and Skills Minister Gail Gago said that while she welcomed the drop, the State Government was acutely aware of the conditions facing the state.

“It’s reassuring that the unemployment rate in South Australia has declined for the third consecutive month and it reinforces that efforts we are making as a Government are increasing people’s chances of finding work,” Gago said.

“Pleasingly, there are now almost 6,000 more people employed in South Australia than at the start of the year and employment has increased for both full-time and part-time jobs over the month.

Gago pointed out that the unemployment rate for young people had decreased from 15.7 to 14.7 per cent.