NSW CONTINUES TO DRIVE NATIONAL ECONOMY

NSW has reaffirmed its position as the strongest economy in Australia with the latest ABS jobs figures, adding nearly half of all new jobs across Australia in the last year. 
 
Over the year to June, NSW employment rose by 150,400, more than Victoria and Queensland combined. NSW jobs grew by 3.9 per cent through 2017-18, well above the national result of 2.3 per cent. 
 
Employment in NSW has increased by 338,900 since April 2015, while the participation rate hit 65.1 per cent in June, the highest level on record.  
 
“What we are seeing in NSW is an economy that is going from strength to strength and providing the backbone for a strong national jobs market,” NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said. 
 
“We have worked hard to undertake reform and introduce measures that keep the economy pumping and jobs on the rise for the people of NSW.” 
 
“Importantly, since the 2015 election nearly two thirds of NSW’s jobs have been fulltime positions, compared to just under half in the rest of Australia. 
 
“To put that in perspective, the Liberals & Nationals Government has added more full-time jobs since 2015 than in the whole of Labor’s last decade in office. 
 
“Our record infrastructure program and commitment to business reform mean the employment future is bright for our great State.” 
 
NSW’s unemployment rate for June has fallen to 4.7 per cent, marking a 37th straight month as the state with Australia’s lowest unemployment rate. Additionally, it has been at or below the national for 55 consecutive months. 
 
NSW’s youth unemployment rate also fell to 10.4 per cent, well below the national average of 12.3 per cent.