Tasmanian workers getting fewer hours than interstate counterparts

New labour force figures show that Tasmanians are working fewer hours per week than their counterparts interstate, the opposition says.

Labor's Josh Willie speaks to the media at parliament Square in Hobart on Friday, January 24, 2025.

New labour force figures show that Tasmanians are working fewer hours per week than their counterparts interstate, the opposition says.

Shadow Treasurer Josh Willie said workers being unable to find the hours they wanted to was compounding the state’s chronic underemployment and low workforce participation rates.

“Too many workers are stuck in part-time or casual roles and unable to secure the hours they need to make ends meet,” he said.

“It’s harming families and holding back Tasmania’s economic potential.

“In the traditionally busy month of December, the average Tasmanian worker did less hours of work than any other state or territory – recording just 32.1 hours of work per week.

“Workers in Queensland and New South Wales are working nearly five hours more each month than Tasmanian workers, highlighting significant disparities in labour market productivity.

“Tasmania’s underemployment rate of 7.7 per cent is by far the worst in the nation, and well below the national average of six per cent.

“It’s not because Tasmanians aren’t willing to work, it’s because the work isn’t available due to a weak labour market, low business confidence and a flatlining economy.”

Minister Felix Ellis. Launch of firefighter aircraft for the Summer in Tasmania. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Minister for Skills and Training Felix Ellis said the state’s labour force figures looked great to him.

“Tasmania has record low unemployment at the moment. That’s really encouraging. There are record numbers of Tasmanians in work under this government. Under Labor, under employment had a ten in front of it,” he said.

“The unemployment rate was double what it is now. So our government is backing in jobs and investment in Tasmania, the Labor Party have a track record of destroying jobs and putting our state into recession.”

In his recent report on the sustainability of the Tasmanian budget, leading economist Saul Eslake noted that Tasmania’s participation rate was consistently poorer than that of any other state or territory and was keeping a lid on the state’s standard of living.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Michael Bailey said the issue of participation to be addressed.

“If our participation rate was at the national average, over a ten-year period over 11,000 jobs would be created, households would be $1,500 better off and the state’s economy would be boosted by $3.7 billion,” he said.

“The TCCI is calling on the Tasmanian Government to make boosting participation a key focus for the rest of this term of government and do more to address barriers like transport, literacy, skills and childcare.”