South Australia unemployment rate rises to 5.9% in April

SOUTH Australia’s unemployment rate has jumped from 5.6 per cent to 5.9 per cent as the state’s economy continues to be volatile in the wake of the Holden factory closure.

• MARCH: SA unemployment rate falls to 5.6 per cent
• FEBRUARY: Jobless rate hits 6.3 per cent
• JANUARY: Unemployment in SA rises slightly to 6%

SOUTH Australia’s unemployment rate has jumped from 5.6 per cent to 5.9 per cent as the state’s economy continues to be volatile in the wake of the Holden factory closure.

The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate hit 5.9 per cent in April, figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday show.

It has been a volatile two months in South Australia as the jobless rate dropped 0.6 percentage points in March, before rising again in April.

The state’s seasonally-adjusted figure is the third-best rate in Australia behind New South Wales and Victoria — but still above the national unemployment rate of 5.6 per cent.

More than 52,000 SA residents were without jobs and looking for work last month.

In trend terms, South Australia’s unemployment rate was also 5.9 per cent.

MORE TO COME

Seasonally adjusted estimates by State for April

New South Wales — 5.0%

Victoria — 5.3%

Queensland — 6.5%

South Australia — 5.9%

Western Australia — 6.5%

Tasmania — 6.0%

Northern Territory — Not available

Australian Capital Territory — Not available

Australia — 5.6%