JobSeeker unemployment rates: Western Sydney, North Coast communities out of work

The suburbs worst hit by the COVID19 economic crisis have been uncovered, as communities with the highest reliance on JobSeeker revealed. See how your suburb rates here.

A community in Sydney’s southwest has seen a massive 13.7 per cent of its population forced onto the Federal Government’s JobSeeker program, as the regions with the highest unemployment rates are revealed.

According to the NSW Parliamentary Research Team, the Western Sydney suburb of Fairfield has the highest number of JobSeeker recipients as of July this year — with 8454 people forced onto the unemployment scheme as the Covid-19 Delta variant wreaks havoc on Greater Sydney.

Residents in Western Sydney and the North Coast are experiencing the highest number of people unemployed in the state. Jane Dempster/The Australian.

Meanwhile, the north coast electorates of Oxley, Lismore, Myall Lakes, Coffs Harbour, and Clarence, as well as the country communities of Barwon, were included in the top 10 regions with a high percentage of its population on JobSeeker.

The Western Sydney communities of Cabramatta, Liverpool and Bankstown rounded out the top 10.

Social demographer Mark McCrindle of McCrindle Research said while Covid-19 had “global impact the economic impacts have not been equal”, with young people at the start of their careers hit the hardest.

“Employment impacts have varied based on socio-economic and geographical areas,” Mr McCrindle said.

An ADF personal and a police officer pictured in the Fairfield CBD. The ADF are supporting NSW Police with operational management of Sydney's Lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“If you look at industry impact by Covid-19, the professional services, office based and knowledge economy jobs faired well and were largely untouched — whereas those that were in customer-facing and highly exposed sectors were the most impacted.”

Mr McCrindle said the “blue-collar belt” that makes up a large proportion of western Sydney and regional areas like the north coast continue to see significant economic impact on manufacturing, construction and trade jobs.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BY NSW ELECTORATE

“The oldest generations may have been the most vulnerable health wise, but they have been the least vulnerable from an economic and finacial standpoint — it is the young people that were hit the hardest and continue to be punished by Covid-19’s economic impact.”

Lines of unemployed people outside Surry Hills Centrelink today as the COVID-19 pandemic causes massive job losses. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Meanwhile, the northern Sydney electorates of Castle Hill, Pittwater, Lane Cove, Manly, Willoughby, Ku-ring-gai, North Shore and Davidson — alongside the inner city and eastern suburbs electorates of Drummoyne and Vaucluse — had the lowest number of JobSeeker recipients as of July this year.

Social Researcher Mark McCrindle.

“In the north shore and eastern suburbs they have had more options when it comes to finding new work because of previous opportunity in those suburbs, this is where the office jobs were generally based in the past — which provides those residents with more opportunity,” Mr McCrindle said.

“If the government want to stimulate and restart the economy, there needs to be a major focus on getting customers back, because that will spark opportunity for Western Sydney and the regions to ride a growing economy.”

Quiet scenes in Liverpool in Sydney's south-west following the introduction of curfews and tighter lockdown restrictions.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Quiet Liverpool Rd in Ashfield as NSW enact their strictest lock down yet . Picture: NCA NewsWire / Adam Yip

Originally published as JobSeeker unemployment rates: Western Sydney, North Coast communities out of work