Department of Social Services data reveals Queensland Centrelinks being kept busy by jobseekers

NEW unemployment data has revealed which Queensland Centrelink offices have the most number of jobseekers knocking on their doors.

POCKETS of Brisbane’s south have almost double the ­number of jobseekers than inner-city areas.

Department of Social Services unemployment data shows Centrelink centres in Mt Gravatt and Beenleigh dealt with almost 2500 jobseekers each in February this year, compared with 1400 in Fortitude Valley.

Across the state, Cairns and Townsville had the highest number of jobseekers in the state, with Centrelink centres in those areas dealing with 4500-5500 jobseekers.

The Department of Human Services said Centrelink centres with large numbers of jobseekers had new technology such as digital jobseeker apps that reduced the number of people fronting up in person.

“Individual offices are staffed depending on overall needs of the community,” a Department spokesperson said.

“For example … the Stones Corner Service Centre has multicultural service officers in response to the larger multicultural population in that area.

“With the increasing uptake of people doing business with us digitally, such as with our Express Plus Job Seekers app, many transactions can be completed without having to set foot inside a Service Centre.”

Centrelink services on Thursday and Palm islands had the lowest number of jobseekers in the state, with fewer than 70 each.