By Victoria Stone-Meadows
FIGURES released by the Federal Department of Employment show that the unemployment rate in the City of Casey is higher than the state average.
The latest employment statistics show that unemployment in the City of Casey is sitting just under eight per cent whereas the state average is currently just under six percent.
Opposition politicians have hit out at the current State Government for allowing the unemployment rate in the south east to climb.
Member for South-Eastern Metropolitan Region Gordon Rich-Phillips said the premier was only interested in providing jobs in the inner suburbs.
“Daniel Andrews is too focused on pleasing wealthy inner city lefties, and has forgotten about real people struggling to find work and fight the increasing costs of living in Casey,” he said.
“A 17.5 per cent increase in the number of unemployed people in Casey, including a 67.9 per cent increase in Cranbourne East, represents a complete failure of Daniel Andrews’ promises to bring new jobs to Casey.”
Another State Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Region Inga Peulich said the high level of unemployment in Casey would hit families the hardest.
“Since the 2014 State Election, Casey now has 1930 more unemployed people directly attributed to the Andrews Labor Government that continues to destroy manufacturing and local jobs,” Ms Peulich said.
“Families in the City of Casey have been left reeling from such economic losses.”
However, the government is standing by its unemployment rate record which had dropped 1.1 per cent across the state since October 2014.
In a statement, a government spokesperson said major government- funded projects being initiated in Casey would help alleviate the job pressure.
“The Andrews Labor Government promised to get Victorians back to work, and since being elected in November 2014, has created more than 184,000 new jobs across the state – with more than 111,000 of those full time.”
“We’re investing in local projects like the Thompsons Road upgrade, the Caulfield to Dandenong railway line upgrade and upgrading Cranbourne Secondary College.”
“The government has also allocated $10.5 million for Melbourne’s south-east from the $33 million Local Industry Fund for Transition, designed to create new jobs for retrenched automotive workers.”
The government also said they had been playing catch-up in the labour market after winning the election over the previous Napthine liberal government.
“After the four years of inaction by the Liberal Government, we recognise that there is still work to do,” the spokesperson said.
“Which is why we deliver the infrastructure, services and support that Victorians need.”
