Unemployment rate double in Fairfield compared with NSW

Fairfield’s unemployment rate is almost twice as high as the Sydney average, according to the most recent Census data on employment figures.

Fairfield residents have a high rate of unemployment compared with the rest of NSW.

• Sweet treats start nightlife revolution
• Doco puts teaching under microscope

Fairfield’s unemployment rate is almost twice as high as the Sydney average.

More than 7300 Fairfield residents were unemployed in 2011, according to Census figures (the most current data).

Almost 4500 residents were seeking full-time work, while almost 2900 were seeking part-time work.

Fairfield’s unemployment rate is 9.7 per cent, compared with the greater Sydney average of 5.7 per cent.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone told the Fairfield Advance last week he wanted residents to have a brighter future.

“Our unemployment is almost double that of NSW but there’s no investment in this area,” Mr Carbone said.

Almost 69,000 Fairfield residents were employed in 2011.

The most common occupations by far were in manufacturing, which employed 12,234 people or 17.8 per cent of Fairfield’s workforce.

Retail trade, health care and social assistance, construction and transport, postal and warehousing were the next most common fields of employment.

Within those fields, the most common professions for Fairfield residents were technicians, trades workers, clerical and administrative workers, and labourers – making up more than 30,000 residents in total.

However, statistics reveal even employed Fairfield residents are financially disadvantaged compared to their greater Sydney counterparts.

More than 23 per cent of Fairfield households had a combined household income below $650, compared to 19.7 per cent in NSW overall.

The average Fairfield resident earns $439 a week, compared with the average NSW resident who earns $664 a week.

Families are similarly disadvantaged, with those in Fairfield earning an average of $1263 a week compared with the state average of $1780.

Cabramatta state Labor MP Nick Lalich said some families were doing it tough. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Cabramatta state Labor MP Nick Lalich said cuts to education and TAFE had hurt local families.

“There is no doubt that some families are doing it tough out here,” Mr Lalich said.

“As technology advances and innovates, some jobs disappear.

“Governments need to step up and increase opportunities for retraining. “

Mr Lalich also said jobseekers needed to be retrained so they could enter the competitive employment market.

“Our area needs more job opportunities but the underlying reason is that training and retraining services need to be increased,” Mr Lalich said.

“We are an area rich in diversity but, at the same time, we need to make sure that new migrants are trained well enough in English so that they can compete for jobs.”

Fairfield state Labor MP Guy Zangari said migrants needed to be provided with better employment opportunities.

Fairfield state Labor MP Guy Zangari agreed thousands of newly arrived migrants in the region needed to be provided with better opportunities.

“Newly arrived migrants need to be provided with opportunities to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to transition into employment, volunteering or studies,” Mr Zangari said.

“We have so many skilled migrants arriving here in the Fairfield region, but the lack of support in having their skill set recognised in Australia is a big hurdle for many.”