Northern Beaches: At least 3000 coronavirus job losses feared, as Mackellar one of worst hit in NSW
It is feared that at least 3,000 people have lost their jobs on the northern beaches due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an expert demographer. See data for each suburb here:
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At least 3000 have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to estimates from a data expert.
Demographer Dr Kim Johnstone, an associate director of the Astrolabe Group, said she used 2016 Census suburb data to see where people are working in industries most affected by COVID-19.
“We don’t yet know the full extent of job losses or how many people have been affected in our local communities,” she said.
“But looking at the data for NSW on which industries have experienced the most job losses alongside how many people were employed in those industries pre-COVID there are at least 3000 people in the northern beaches who have lost their jobs, most employed in accommodation, food and retail sectors.”
Dr Johnstone said the data suggests Dee Why and North Curl Curl has been one of the worst hit by job losses.
In 2016, 2,698 people in Dee Why and North Curl Curl worked in accommodation, food, retail, air travel, sports and recreation and the arts.
Narrabeen and Collaroy had the second highest number of people working in those industries, with 2,006, while Frenchs Forest and Belrose was third with 1,995.
Across Greater Sydney’s suburbs Dee Why and North Curl Curl had the seventh highest number of workers in those industries.
While four northern beaches areas in the top 10 for the number of workers in the sports and recreation industry, again Dee Why and North Curl Curl, Narrabeen and Collaroy, Warriewood and Mona Vale and Frenchs Forest and Belrose.
Meanwhile, another report out this week found that job losses in the federal electorate of Mackellar was the 12th worst in the state during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Warringah was 21st out of 47 electorates.
The analysis from the Grattan Institute is based on the share of payroll jobs lost between the week ending March 14 to the week ending April 18.
The institute said the data captures most workers in Australia, 99 per cent of employers with 20 workers or more and 71 per cent of employers with 19 or fewer workers.
It found that Mackellar lost 6.9 per cent of jobs, while Warringah saw a drop of 6.2 per cent.
Authors Brendan Coates and Tony Chen said “unsurprisingly, electorates with large tourism industries and a high share of hospitality workers have been hit especially hard”.
“A large share of workers in these electorates are employed in accommodation and food services, which saw 33 per cent of jobs lost by 18 April.”
The analysis found that the electorate of Cowper on the NSW mid north coast was the worst hit electorate with unemployment increasing by 11.6 per cent of jobs.
Wentworth, in the eastern suburbs, was the 9th worst hit electorate with a 7.4 per cent job losses.
Dr Johnstone said there wasn’t yet any data by suburb on COVID-19 job losses but it was important to know what was happening at locally so there can be an appropriate response.
“It helps to know what’s happening on the ground,” she said.
She also said the way employment data is collected and collated means there is an underestimate in the number of people who are now unemployed as well as under employed.
Ms Johnstone said under employment appears to affect a higher number of young people.
How many workers in each suburb work in industries most impacted by COVID-19:
1. Dee Why – North Curl Curl: 2698
2. Narrabeen – Collaroy: 2006
3. Frenchs Forest – Belrose: 1995
4. Warriewood – Mona Vale: 1937
5. Manly – Fairlight: 1774
6. Freshwater – Brookvale: 1741
7. Balgowlah – Clontarf – Seaforth: 1530
8. Manly Vale – Allambie Heights: 1347
9. Beacon Hill – Narraweena: 1169
10. Newport – Bilgola: 1159
11. Avalon – Palm Beach: 975
12. Forestville – Killarney Heights: 858
13. Bayview – Elanora Heights: 727
14. Cromer: 632
15. Terrey Hills – Duffys Forest: 283
TOTAL : 20831
Estimated job losses per industry on the northern beaches:
Accommodation: 198
Food and beverage service: 1,886
Food retailing: 93
Other store-based retail: 206
Creative and performing arts: 129
Sports and recreation activities: 274
Air and space travel: 29
Heritage activities: 41
Other job losses are expected from other industries not analysed here.