ABS data positive for city

Figures indicate key areas of growth in Toowoomba

DESPITE earlier reports suggesting Toowoomba jobseekers wait 64 weeks to find work, the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed that figure was actually 33 weeks for 2017.

Confusion arose after ABS data for November showed Toowoomba’s unemployed waited 64 weeks before getting back into the workforce, when the actual picture for the whole of 2017 was more positive.

“Toowoomba has hovered around 25-30 weeks over the past two to three years but has increased recently to around 33 weeks,” an ABS spokesman said.

Thirty-three weeks is one of the lowest in Queensland. Key to the city’s economic growth are a number of emerging industries. Transport, according to one expert, will lead the way for the Garden City in years to come.

“Bottom line is the employment and unemployment rates in this area are pretty much as good as you’d ever want it,” Dr Peter McIlveen said.

Dr McIlveen is a researcher at USQ who has worked extensively in the field of business and career development.

“Some of the stuff that’s in demand according to ABS is transport for obvious reasons,” he said.

“We need people to work in our transport sector because we have the rail line, an airport that’s only going to get better and the bypass happening.”

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki said he was concerned by the ABS data.

“The Toowoomba region is front and centre of the state economy but there are these problems and we need to government to do something about it,” he said.