Latest ABS jobs data shows serious falls in employment through September in comparison to August with Greater Melbourne seeing 108,600 less Victorians employed, a 4 per cent fall in one month.
The slide in country Victoria was 9,500 – a fall of 1.3 per cent in one month.
The tough lockdowns imposed by Daniel Andrews have hurt business and cost Victorians their jobs.
Small businesses have been hit for six by Andrews and Labor with tougher restrictions than put in place in other states like New South Wales.
We need to open up safely following the National Plan but without the special extra restrictions enforced by the Andrews Labor Government.
Why is retail not opening? Labor’s rules are arbitrary, unfair, and ultimately cost jobs as we can see in these figures. Labor has not allowed the release of the secret health advice but is prepared to point to this invisible advice as the reason for the toughness of the lockdowns.
Melbourne and Victoria standout as shocking performers when compared to other cities with Melbourne employment down 4 per cent, while Sydney was down just 0.5 per cent and Brisbane employment was up by 0.8 per cent. Country New South Wales saw employment lift by 0.7 per cent.
The largest metropolitan percentage falls were in Melbourne’s Northeast (down 5 per cent), Inner East (down 5.6 per cent), Outer East (down 5.4 per cent), South East (down 4.3 per cent).
In country Victoria the largest percentage falls in employment were Warrnambool and South West (down 8 per cent) and Gippsland (down 6.3 per cent).
Comments attributable to Shadow Treasurer, David Davis:
“Daniel Andrews’ harsh lockdowns have cost so many Victorians their jobs.
“These figures should concern Victorians with big falls in some city regions most prominent. It’s where Andrews’ lockdowns have hit like a ‘Mack truck’.
“We must open up quickly and safely under the National Plan. We don’t need Andrews’ nasty extra restrictions, like for retail, with it still slammed shut.
“These tougher Victorian restrictions added in at Daniel Andrews’ pleasure just hurt small business and cost jobs.”