Jobless rate holds steady in Cockburn

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimates unemployment in Cockburn increased .1 per cent to 5.5 per cent across Cockburn between March 2015 and March 2016.

It equates to an added 200 people looking for work.

Unemployment in Cockburn was lower than its neighbours in Armadale (8.5 per cent), Fremantle (7.4) and Kwinana (11.4), but not Melville (2.9).

Beeliar had the biggest increase of any Cockburn suburb with a .8 per cent spike, or an additional 40 residents, looking for work.

Wattleup saw the biggest unemployment fall, but that could be because of its labour force of just 370 residents.

Cockburn’s Community Development manager Gail Bowman was pleased unemployment was relatively stable.

But she said unemployment among young people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders remained very high.

The figures were released in the ABS’s Small Area Labour Markets document for the March quarter.

Across WA unemployment rose by .7 per cent to 5.9 per cent. About 80,500 people were looking for work. That is predicted to have increased to 90,000 people last month.

WA Labor leader Mark McGowan said the result was evidence the State Government had wasted opportunities brought on by the mining boom and failed to plan for the future. Treasurer Mike Nahan said the state was going through a transition, although there were “green shoots” in many sectors including gold mining, tourism and agriculture.

Small Area Labour Markets – Unemployment in Cockburn between March 2015 and March 2016.

City of Cockburn: 5.4 per cent in March 2015 up to 5.5 per cent in March 2016.

Banjup: 3.2 per cent up to 3.3 per cent.

Beeliar: 3.7 per cent up to 4.5 per cent.

Coogee: 3.3 per cent down to 3.1 per cent.

Coolbellup: Steady at 8.2 per cent.

Hamilton Hill: 11.2 per cent down to 11.1 per cent.

Jandakot: 2 per cent up to 2.5 per cent.

North Coogee: 1.2 per cent up to 2.5 per cent.

South Lake/ Cockburn Central: Steady at 6.1 per cent.

Spearwood: Steady at 7.8 per cent.

Success/ Hammond Park: 3.1 per cent to 3.5 per cent.

Wattleup: 5.7 per cent down to 4.3 per cent.

Yangebup: 6.9 per cent down to 6.8 per cent.

Cockburn’s Youth Services manager Michelle Champion on the assistance offered at the Cockburn Youth Centre.

“The City provides a job board at the Youth Centre and assistance for young people to update their resumes on Saturdays.

“This initiative was as a result of a number of young people independently coming to the centre to access the computers and free Wi-fi.

“Youth Centre staff want to create opportunities for local young people and given the centre’s proximity to a major retail precinct we would like to support young people to take up local opportunities where possible.

“The challenge for a number of young people is not having a connection with business owners or having someone give them a go without previous experience.”