9.5% regional unemployment rate demands action
19th April, 2012
Federal Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss today said the latest rise in the Wide Bay Burnett region’s unemployment rate to 9.5 percent cements his call for action to help people into jobs.“Over the last three months the unemployment rate has gone up and up and up, from 7.5 percent in January, to 8.5 percent in February, to 9.5 percent for March,” Mr Truss said.
“The unemployment figures were volatile for most of last year, hitting 12.3% in August, but a trend has now emerged and again it is going the wrong way.
“Yet the Gillard Labor Government fails to listen to the community, it ignores the statistics and does nothing to help the economy in our region,” Mr Truss said.
“This latest increase confirms what local consumers and business people are telling me - confidence is down, people are uncertain about the future, and they are looking for strong leadership from Government to establish a sound economic direction for the future.
“Unfortunately all they are getting from the Gillard-Greens-Independent Government is more debt and more taxes — which are the enemies of a strong economy.
“Now is not the time for the Australia to go it alone and implement the world’s largest carbon tax, which will increase costs for households and business and put jobs at risk. I can not think of a worse time to introduce an economy wide tax, which by its purpose and design is supposed to reduce consumption, hitting jobs hard.
“Labor has also made it harder for business to do business, and it will get worse once the carbon tax kicks in on July 1.
“In spite of Labor’s promise to cut red tape with a ‘one regulation in, one regulation out’ rule since Federal Labor’s election to Government, 16,173 new regulations have been enacted but only 79 have been repealed. Increasing the administrative burden on business is no way to create and sustain jobs,” Mr Truss said.
“Many people and families are doing it tough and the Government must do more to ensure that those who want a job can get one. People need jobs to support their families, to build their skills and confidence and to strengthen the regional economy.
“The Government must take urgent action to rebuild economic confidence, grow skills and ensure business is able to create sustainable jobs. It is only then that we will unlock our region’s true potential.”
