September labour statistics indicated that unemployment on the Central Coast had risen to 6.4 per cent and youth unemployment to 17.9 per cent, prompting Labor to allege that the Member for Robertson, Ms Lucy Wicks, was asleep at the wheel of the local economy.
The September labour statistics, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), found unemployment on the Central Coast had risen by 1.1 per cent since January and that youth unemployment was up by 3 per cent.
Unemployment was significantly higher than the state unemployment rate of 4.9 per cent and youth unemployment was well above the State average of 11.6 per cent.
These statistics make the Central Coast the second highest region of Youth Unemployment in NSW, and the eleventh highest in Australia.
The Central Coast has seen a string of poor economic data revealing record low wage growth, a 37 per cent decline in local apprenticeships, and a dramatic fall in the number of Central Coast businesses.
Labor’s Candidate for the Federal Electorate of Robertson, Ms Anne Charlton, said: “Since the Liberal Government were elected, we have seen unemployment rise, wages cut and businesses leave our local economy.
“This data revealed that the Central Coast has become the second highest region in NSW for Youth Unemployment,” Ms Charlton said.
Labor Senator Deborah O’Neill said the local economy had gone from bad to worse over the past four years under the Liberals.
“Despite promising jobs and growth, the government has recklessly handed out billions in tax cuts to big businesses and millionaires, whilst our local economy suffers,” Sen O’Neill said.
“The Turnbull Government’s cuts to TAFE, local schools and universities show they are determined to pull the rug out from local young jobseekers,” she said.
“Since Lucy Wicks was elected, we have seen a 37 per cent drop in apprenticeships.
“Those statistics are not surprising to the teachers at Gosford TAFE, who have seen their budget cut and their student numbers plummet.
“The longer this Liberal government is in power, the worse our local economy gets, and the more excuses they seem to come up with,” she said.
Source:
Media release, Oct 30
Rhys Zorro, office of Deborah O’Neill