South East Melbourne’s unemployment rate tops the state, GSEM calls for action

An individual at work using an angle grinder.

The unemployment rate in South East Melbourne is now the highest in Victoria, according to the latest employment data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

During the month of September, the most recent period for which figures are available, the unemployment rate jumped 1.6 percentage points in the south east to 7.2 per cent.

That is the highest rate in of all regions in Victoria during the month of September.

The 7.2 per cent unemployment rate was much higher than the Victorian rate of 4.6 per cent, and much higher than the Greater Melbourne rate, which stood at 5.1 per cent.

The Melbourne South East region also had the second-highest month-on-month fall in the number of people employed in all of Victoria.

The number of people in work dropped by 19,500 for the month of September, the ABS statistics show.

Only the Inner Melbourne region recorded a greater fall, losing 25,000 people in employment over the same period.

Greater South East Melbourne Chair Simon McKeon said:

“The latest unemployment statistics demonstrate the urgent need for all levels of government to work together to create the projects and conditions that bring jobs and improved sustainability outcomes to Greater South East Melbourne.”

September 2021 jobs data for Victoria. Source ABS