Unemployment in regional Victoria has jumped to 6.2 per cent with 48,600 regional Victorians now unemployed because of the Baillieu Government’s failure to create a jobs plan and invest in major infrastructure projects, Shadow Minister for Employment, Tim  Pallas said today.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that since the Baillieu Government
was elected 34,300 full-time jobs have been lost. 

The unemployment rate jumped to 6.2 per cent in September from 5.8 per cent in
August with 4100 more people joining the unemployment queue.  

The worst affected regions were the Barwon-Western District where the unemployment
rate jumped from 5.5 per cent in August to 7.1 per cent in September and in the Loddon-Mallee region unemployment jumped to 7.4 per cent in September from 6.6 per cent in August. 

Unemployment in the Barwon-Western District has doubled in the past twelve months with more than 8000 jobs lost, and Loddon-Mallee has lost 12000 jobs this year alone.

“Regional Victorians want to work, but the Baillieu Governments policies are making that
impossible” Mr Pallas said.

“Mr Baillieu’s major job cuts across the public service, funding cuts to TAFE, education and health and a failure to invest in regional Victoria, has put more people out of work.

“Without a jobs plan, particularly one with a regional focus, Mr Baillieu is only putting more people out of work. 

“Mr Baillieu’s inability to manage the state’s finances is hurting families across the state, and regional Victoria is paying the price.

“The so-called Regional Growth Fund which was meant to see money invested in regional Victoria has had money siphoned off for projects in Melbourne and to cover Baillieu Government budget black holes.

“Unemployment could get even worse in regional Victoria with the full impact of the Baillieu Government’s public service job cuts still to be unveiled.

“The Baillieu Government cannot ignore the impact these job losses are having on regional families and the flow on effects on business.

“Mr Baillieu may be happy to see Victoria return to the bad old days of the Kennett Government, but regional Victorian families deserve better from this Premier”.