By VANESSA VALENZUELA
THOUSANDS of residents living in transport corridors across Melbourne’s West remain jobless, with new figures showing unemployment rates continue to rise.
Shadow Minister for Employment Tim Pallas said the State Government’s failure to create a jobs plan or invest in Victoria is hurting families who live along the Sydenham-Werribee transport corridors.
Mr Pallas said Labor’s analysis of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) unemployment data shows unemployment has increased by almost three per cent in some electorates.
Mr Pallas said there had been a significant jump in unemployment in electorates along several train lines with a 2.6 per increase in unemployment in Derrimut, a 1.57 per cent increase in Kororoit and 1.35 per cent jump in Keilor.
“Electorates along the Frankston, South Morang and Sydenham-Werribee transport corridors need greater government investment in services and infrastructure,” Mr Pallas said.
DEEWR figures revealed Victoria’s unemployment rate climbed to 5.6 per cent in August, up from 5.4 per cent in July.
Melbourne’s outer west region, which overs St Albans, Sunshine and Deer Park, had an unemployment rate of 6.9 per cent in August, with the youth unemployment rate reaching 14.9 per cent.
