Women in work at record high
FULL-TIME employment of women is at a record high, according to recent Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
Seasonally adjusted total employment has increased by 44,000 in August 2018, to stand at a record high of 12,631,300 and has risen by an impressive 306,400, or 2.5 per cent, over the past 12 months – well above the decade’s average rate of 1.6 per cent.
“Encouragingly, we are seeing full-time employment growth having accounted for two thirds of the total increase in employment over the last year. Part-time employment has increased and is now 2.7 per cent higher than a year ago,” Employment Minister Kelly O’Dwyer said.
“The unemployment rate has remained steady over the month at 5.3 per cent – the equal lowest rate recorded since August of 2012 and below the 5.6 per cent in August 2017.
“We’ve seen female employment rise. It has increased by 148,400, or 2.6 per cent, over the last 12 months.
“Female full-time employment has also increased to a record high of 3,168,200.
“The Government remains acutely aware, though, that there are still more than 700,000 Australians who remain unemployed.”