Jobs in Australia: Business surveys and ads point to growth in hiring

Jobs advertisements and business surveys in Australia suggest a healthy growth in hiring. Strong demand for services and growth in profits support employment, with National Australia Bank’s monthly survey hinting it will continue to rise by about 20,000 positions per month.

In the Australian Bureau of Statistics monthly report, economists are cynical about the growth of almost 100,000 jobs in March and April. They were expecting the survey to show statistical “payback” in the May result, which is slated to be reported on Thursday.

Another monthly NAB survey will be out on Tuesday. The report is expected to show that the number of firms that say business conditions are improving surpass those that claim they are getting worse by at least 10 percentage points.

Philip Lowe, Reserve Bank governor, has referred to the NAB survey, citing improvement in business conditions and increase in capacity utilisation. He said the March quarter result was “reflecting the quarter-to-quarter variation in the growth figures,” The Australian reports.

Meanwhile, online recruitment firm Seek continued to record the growth in the number of ads being posted. The yearly rate of increase averaged 6.5 percent since last year.

Data from Seek indicates the number of jobs being posted in New South Wales and Victoria levelled off with no increase since November 2016. But the two states manage to maintain employment demand more than 15 percent higher than the previous two years.

The strength of sectors like personal and recreation services can be perceived through the rise in part-time employment. It can be expected that the work hours would show improvement if recruitment continues at the pace indicated by the surveys.

Aurizon jobs

Aurizon workers are reportedly facing redundancy after nearly decades with the company. Train driver Warren Hines, who has been in the rail industry for 39 years, might lose his job along with 55 others as Aurizon looks to cut costs, according to The Gladstone Observer.

“For a lot of people this is what they’ve done all their lives,” Hines said, adding he only had two jobs in his life. He said Aurizon slashes permanent positions and employs casuals. Hines said the situation is “heartbreaking.”

Another Aurizon employee, Brendan Smith, admitted disappointment over the alleged redundancies. “This is a career for me straight out of school, I know nothing else,” The Courier Mail quotes him as saying. At least 30 Aurizon workers and community members have rallied in protest against the job cuts.

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