- New statistics show over 932,000 jobs were lost in Australia between the March and June quarters, as COVID-19 decimated the wider economy
- The Australian Bureau of Statistics said total jobs filled fell by 6.4 per cent over that period, while total hours worked contracted 9.8 per cent
- The ABS also revealed the almost one million job losses were a “record decrease” and the private sector was worst affected
- Those looking for work faced an uphill battle, with the number of job vacancies almost halving over the March to June quarters
- Meanwhile, the industries hardest hit were accommodation, food services, arts and recreation
New statistics have laid bare the full impact COVID-19 has had on Australia jobs, with over 932,000 jobs lost between the March and June quarters.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics today released its latest Labour Account, showing the total number of jobs filled between April and June fell by 6.4 per cent — a record drop.
Source: ABS
The ABS latest figures also showed total hours worked contracted over the March to June quarters, decreasing by 9.8 per cent.
The record 6.4 per cent decrease in filled jobs follows a much smaller decrease of 0.1 per cent in the March quarter when the pandemic first began hitting Australia’s shores.
The private sector was the worst affected job market, with the number of filled jobs declining by 7.1 per cent. In comparison, the public sector only recorded a 1.9 per cent decline.
Those looking for employment faced an uphill battle, with fewer jobs available and more competition for existing positions. This is reflected in the number of job vacancies posted, which almost halved during the June quarter, reducing by 42.1 per cent.
The Bureau’s Head of Labour Statistics, Bjorn Jarvis, said a number of industries were badly hit.
“In line with the impact seen in other indicators, the largest declines in hours worked since the March quarter were in the Accommodation and food services industry, down 36 per cent, and the Arts and recreation industry, down 35.5 per cent,” he said.
Bjorn also said today’s statistics were in line with other results previously released, showing the full impact COVID-19 has had on employment and the wider economy.
“The Labour Account provides the most comprehensive measure of total job losses during the COVID-19 period — a fall of around 932,000 jobs,” he said.
“This echoes what we have previously seen in falls of employment in Labour Force Survey data and changes in jobs in the indexed payroll data,” he added.
Australia’s national unemployment rate is currently hovering at around 7.5 per cent.