I had to laugh when I read the story “Figures show record low unemployment” in the Independent on March 22.
The December 2011 quarter figure quoted is 5 per cent unemployment for Port Macquarie, down from 6 per cent in December quarter 2008.
Now that is 1 per cent more employment. If Port has, say, 45,000 people, then 1 per cent is 450. So an extra 450 people over three years have a job. An extra 150 per year.
I would guess that one-third the population is retired and I can’t imagine they are counted as employed or employable, so I am sure the actual numbers of new jobs is far less than 150.
Nevertheless, in the article, Rob Oakeshott is crowing about “the work that has been done over the past three years to turn our economy around”. I congratulate him on his achievement of these extra jobs on the Pacific Highway, the hospital expansion and education expansion.
However, when the highway work moves towards Kempsey, I am sure quite a few of those Port Macquarie people will lose their jobs and we will quickly be back up to 6 per cent. Anyone in business in this town knows that the economy is currently a total disaster; shops are closing, people’s hours are being cut right back and most small businesses are really struggling. Things are great if you work at the Council, Essential Energy, Centrelink or any other government agency, but those of us in the real world know that the last three years have been the hardest in many, many years. Bring on the next election.
Tim Brown
