ABS data shows strong jobs growth despite gaffe

New ABS data has revealed the Territory recorded a substantial increase in jobs over the past 12 months, but a gaffe caused confusion. Find out what happened.

Treasurer Eva Lawler’s office has corrected claims of a significant increase in the number of people employed in the Northern Territory over the past 12 months, after data was wrongly interpreted.

Ms Lawler said during a media conference Tuesday morning the number of people employed in the NT had increased by 5.8 per cent.

But that figure was later revised to 1 per cent due to an interpretation error.

The 5.8 per cent figure was the number of new jobs created in the Northern Territory over the 12-months to October, not the number of people in work.

A staffer of Ms Lawler’s took responsibility for the gaffe when the mistake was pointed out after the press conference.

The mistake was made public when an independent economist familiar with the Territory’s jobs market contacted this publication.

Figures released by the government showed a 3.7 per cent increase in the number of people employed in the Territory.

The year-on-year increase is actually just under 1 per cent, with seasonally adjusted employment sitting at 138,000 in September.

The claimed 5.8 per cent increase, which was actually 5.4 per cent according to the ABS, relates to jobs, with more Territorians working multiple jobs.

Ms Lawler said three pillars would bolster the Territory’s rising number of jobs and secure the NT’s economy - school leavers and career-changers, domestic and international recruitmment, and population growth.

“Every industry, every business is really working hard to retain staff now,” Ms Lawler said.

“The Territory is a rapidly growing jurisdiction and a place of vast opportunity, providing long-term sustainable employment across an array of sectors.”

KPMG partner – enterprise advisory Sarah Hicks, Treasurer Eva Lawler, and KPMG Darwin managing partner Derek Campbell.

The finance sector recorded a particularly large increase with 15 per cent more jobs in the industry than the previous year.

The sector’s boom means global organisations such as KPMG have targeted the NT’s workforce.

KPMG Darwin managing partner Derek Campbell said the company had partnered with Charles Darwin University to offer a consulting skills accelerator program.

“The NT is an important market for KPMG and we’re excited to be playing our role in adding new jobs,” Mr Campbell said.

“We expect to grow the headcount in our Darwin office by 20 per cent over the next 12 months through both new joiners and bringing senior leaders back to the NT.

“In addition, our partnership with CDU is helping to provide pathways for university graduates to find and build professional careers right here in the Territory.”

KPMG has hired 12 graduates to start work soon, seven coming from the CDU-KPMG program.

Shadow Treasurer Bill Yan said the mistake was the Treasurer’s fault.

“The buck stops with the Treasurer, any misrepresentation of employment statistics can have wide-ranging consequences for individuals and the business community,” Mr Yan said.