Queensland has top two postcodes for dole recipients in Australia

TWO regional Queensland cities have more people on the dole than any other area in Australia, but a federal MP says some people are snubbing the work on offer.

Australia’s unemployment hotspots have been identified.

• Welfare recipients targeted
• 86pc of personal tax goes on welfare

CAIRNS and Bundaberg have more people on the dole than any other area in Australia, but one federal MP says some people snub work that is available.

The Queensland economic divide is made clear in new figures that show regional cities take out the top five areas for the sheer number of people on the dole.

A breakdown by postcode shows Bundaberg has 4465 people taking unemployment benefits, more than any other postcode in the country.

Second was Cairns, which had more than 4353 dole recipients, ­followed by Liverpool, near Sydney.

Parts of Toowoomba, Hervey Bay and Mackay rounded out the five highest areas in Queensland by postcode for the number of Newstart recipients.

It comes from the latest Department of Social Services figures available, covering the December 2016 quarter.

Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch, whose electorate includes Cairns, said the city had been through tough times since the global financial crisis, but was getting better.

Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch (right) with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last year.

“There’s no shortage of jobs, just a shortage of people that are prepared to take them,” he said.

“The reality it there are jobs out there; they may not be their dream job, but it’s a bloody job.”

Mr Entsch, whose first job was cleaning toilets at a railway station, said there were jobs in fruit picking, milking sheds and even cafes that were being snubbed by Australians.

There have been reports the Federal Government is moving to crack down on welfare recipients who skip job interviews or work-for-the-dole commitments.

Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt, whose electorate includes both Bundaberg and Hervey Bay, said the region had suffered from repeated floods, in 2010 and 2013, which had devastated small and medium businesses.

“The rate is unacceptably high, we’re acutely aware of the challenge, but we need everyone on board to deal with it, state, local and federal,” Mr Pitt said.

“These are the things which show why we need decentralisation — it’s the equivalent of injecting a new sugar industry.”

Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt