Hodgman still failing Tasmanians on jobs as employment crisis grows

 Another 300 full time jobs go since December
 Participation rate remains critically low
 Gutwein’s claims on unemployment don’t stack up
Another 300 Tasmanians lost their jobs in the first month of the year as the state’s on-going jobs crisis continues.
Shadow Treasurer Scott Bacon said the latest ABS employment figures were further cause for alarm, following the loss of 600 full-times jobs in December last year.
Mr Bacon said the ABS still had Tasmania’s participation rate below 60 per cent, which Treasurer Peter Gutwein himself has previously said indicates people have “given up looking for work”.
“Just this week the Treasurer has claimed that Tasmania’s unemployment rate is improving but worrying figures like those released today show that his claims just don’t stack up,” Mr Bacon said.
“Under the Hodgman Liberal Government, more than 4,500 Tasmanian full time jobs have disappeared in the past 10 months alone and we continue to have significant problems with both unemployment and under-employment.
“The Premier and the Treasurer have badly let Tasmanians down by failing to create job-generating projects and with a hands-off approach which restricts jobs growth.
“Just as 2016 was a very bad year for this government in keeping Tasmanians in work, this alarming trend looks set to continue this year.
“It’s time for Mr Hodgman and Mr Gutwein to stop just talking about unemployment and actually do something to create jobs for Tasmanians and keeping them in work.”
Scott Bacon MP Shadow Treasurer