Victorian Opposition says Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) job losses data released 25 June shows Labor’s lockdowns are harming workers in Melbourne’s west, north-west and south-east the greatest. All these regions are experiencing rises in unemployment well above the Australian and Victorian averages and spikes in COVID-19 infections. Most of these areas are now the hotspots that the government is busy grappling with.
Despite Victoria having the strictest lockdowns in the country, other states have contained or are now seeing no cases, while Victoria is experiencing a second spike with today’s 33 cases the most since April 3.
According to a media release from the Shadow Treasurer Louise Staley’s office 21,500 workers have lost their jobs since March 2020, taking the unemployment rate to 9.3 per cent, a rise of 1.4 per cent across western Melbourne.
In north-west Melbourne, the picture is just as bad with unemployment now 9.6 per cent, up 2.3 per cent – that’s 22,600 workers now without a job who had a job in March.
In south-east Melbourne, the toll is 29,700 job losses as the unemployment rate rose 2.2 per cent to 8.3 per cent.
All these areas are now battling COVID-19 outbreaks.
“It is clear the government has let down the people of Melbourne’s suburbs as Australia’s toughest restrictions have destroyed 162,552 jobs across Melbourne since March”, Shadow Treasurer Louise Staley said.
“Many of the worst COVID-19 hotspots also have the biggest job losses as Daniel Andrews’ lockdown is failing workers and health outcomes.
“Today’s ABS releases show Daniel Andrews’ lockdowns are destroying jobs while not keeping Victorians safe”, Ms Staley added.
Additional data released today from the ABS shows which sectors are bearing the brunt of job losses. More than 64,300 hospitality workers and managers across Victoria have lost their jobs since COVID-19 struck, including 42,720 waiters as Australia’s toughest hospitality restrictions continue.
Titled ‘Horror rise in unemployed Victorians as continued restrictions destroy jobs without stopping the virus spread’, the message is somewhat ambiguous. One is left unclear if the Opposition thinks the restrictions should not have been imposed in those areas or Daniel Andrews would have known the extent of job losses caused, if all of the lost jobs can be only and directly attributed to the COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the Andrews government.
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