Second jobs on the rise

HALF of all jobs created last quarter were “gig” jobs, according to official statistics that paint a picture of an economy with a soft underbelly.

The jobs were mainly in the administrative, food services and accommodation industries, figures released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.

Australia’s unemployment rate has tumbled this year to its lowest level in six-and-ahalf years, clocking in at 5 per cent in November. However, the underemployment rate — broadly measuring the proportion of people who are working part time and want to or are able to work more hours — has remained stubbornly high at 8.3 per cent.

The ABS figures showed that over the three months to September, the number of main jobs nationally increased by 20,400.

Main jobs are those that people do as their principal roles, meaning each person can only have one main job, but can have one or more secondary jobs.

The increase in main job numbers the past quarter was nearly matched by the increase in secondary jobs, of 19,100.

Secondary jobs now account for almost 7 per cent of all jobs in Australia, at almost 1 million, the ABS said.

Its chief economist, Bruce Hockman, said most of the secondary jobs were in administrative and support services, healthcare, and education and training.

The growing number of secondary jobs in Australia comes amid record low wage growth across the economy.