New ABS labour force figures

After a year in office the number of Australians in work remains at record highs under the Albanese Labor Government – and for the first time ever, the number of employed people in Australia reached 14 million. 

Today’s jobs numbers show that the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 per cent in May – to 3.6 per cent.

Since the Albanese Labor Government came to office, more than 465,000 jobs have been created.

When we came into Government – unemployment was at 3.9 per cent. It’s now at 3.6 per cent and has remained at record lows since May last year.

More women are in full-time employment than ever before.

Women’s full-time employment has grown by 229,000 in the past year, making up 49 per cent of total employment growth in Australia.

Women’s full-time employment has grown in 11 of the past 12 months.

It’s not a coincidence that we’re seeing this. 

This Government came to office determined to remove barriers that were holding back women’s participation in the workforce.

It’s why we’ve delivered stronger gender pay equity and pay transparency laws to help close the gender pay gap, ten days of paid family and domestic violence leave, a 15 per cent pay increase for aged care workers, a better bargaining system that will allow secure jobs and better pay, cheaper early childhood education and the biggest boost to Paid Parental Leave since the scheme was introduced by Labor in 2011.

But there’s still more to do. 

That’s why we’re consulting extensively on reforms to stop the undercutting of pay and conditions for Australian workers. 

The next step is to close the labour hire loophole, criminalise wage theft, define casual work and set minimum conditions in the gig economy.