Tasmania’s economic recovery is well and truly gaining momentum, with retailers recording their best ever December trading figures, which caps off the strongest ever year of retail sales.
At $460.4 million, December’s figures were $1 million lower than November’s figures. However, December’s figures are only fractionally short of the all-time high of $463.3 million set in August 2014.
December 2014 was 1.5 per cent better than December 2013. In the December quarter retail trade grew by 2.4 per cent, which was the third highest growth rate of any state, behind only Victoria and New South Wales.
While there is still a long way to go, the fact that retail trade has remained near record high levels is very encouraging.
Recent reports from Deloitte Access Economics and CommSec both show that growth in retail figures is amongst the best in the nation.
The best way to continue to grow retail and to grow the economy is to create jobs and that’s exactly what the Government is doing with 7,000 new jobs created since the last election.
Peter Gutwein, Treasurer
