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Road To Recovery Looks Bright In Regional Victoria

25 March 2021

Regional Victoria continues to recover from the global coronavirus pandemic with 4,600 people finding a job in the three months to February this year.

Australian Bureau of Statistics employment data released today confirms employment was up in regional Victoria while the unemployment rate of 4.7 per cent is well below its September 2020 peak of 5.2 per cent.

Victoria’s regional unemployment rate dropped by 0.1 percentage points in the three months to February compared to the previous three months – sitting well below the national regional average of 5.5 per cent.

Today’s welcome news follows ABS data released last week which showed 236,800 jobs have been created in Victoria since September 2020.

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 had the Jobs Plan as its centrepiece because a job means certainty and security for workers and their families.

This huge boost in employment shows that Victoria is well on the path to reaching its target of creating 400,000 jobs by 2025, with the latest figures already exceeding the interim target of 200,000 new jobs by 2022.

The Andrews Labor Government understands that 2020 was unrelenting for all Victorians, but especially regional Victorians with summer bushfires and the coronavirus pandemic. To assist regional communities, the Labor Government is making unprecedented investments to get all Victorians back to work.

To support businesses and jobs in the regions, the Budget invested $465 million in the Victorian Tourism Recovery Package, which includes the Gippsland Tourism Recovery Package and new funding for the Mallee’s Silo Art projects, as well as 120,000 vouchers, each worth $200 to entice more people to visit and stay in regional Victoria.

Regional Victoria has experienced the strongest job growth among the regional areas of the states of 11.9 per cent since the Andrews Labor Government was elected in November 2014.

Quotes attributable to Treasurer Tim Pallas

“The signs are positive that regional Victoria is getting back to business, creating new jobs and attracting even more people to our regions.”

“More people have found a job in Victoria than any other state since we were elected in November 2014 and we’re getting on with creating new jobs and investing in the infrastructure and services all Victorians need and deserve.”

Reviewed 25 March 2021

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