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Fact sheet
Fact Check: Deb Frecklington says Queensland had four consecutive years of the highest unemployment in the nation before the pandemic. Is that correct?
Publisher
Liberal National Party of Queensland
Long-term unemployment
Unemployment
Queensland
Description
For years, Queensland's unemployment rate has been above the national average.
Speaking to ABC Radio in Brisbane earlier this month, on October 6, the state's Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington took aim at high unemployment, claiming Queensland's rate had topped all other states and territories for some time.
"When you've had four consecutive years of the highest unemployment rate in the nation — and this was before COVID — Queenslanders deserve a government that has an economic plan to drag Queensland out of the recession and get people into jobs," Ms Frecklington said.
Ms Frecklington is wrong.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that Queensland did not have the highest unemployment rate in the nation across the four years leading up to the outbreak of COVID-19, whether measured as an average of monthly figures for calendar years or financial years.
Likewise, using a rolling monthly average measure to calculate the unemployment rate for all 12-month periods to March 2020 does not show Queensland experiencing Australia's highest unemployment rate for four consecutive years.
Publication Details
Copyright:
Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2020
License type:
All Rights Reserved
Access Rights Type:
open
Post date:
30 Nov 2020
