VECCI welcomes strong regional employment figures

VICTORIA’s peak employer body has welcomed results that showed regional employment in Victoria increased by 19,200, or 2.6 percent, making it the strongest performing state nationally in 2013.

“Thriving business centres throughout Victoria are vital to the economic strength of our state, so it’s wonderful to see so many more people employed,” says VECCI Chief Executive Mark Stone.

Mr Stone’s comments come as Australian Bureau of Statistics results show Victoria’s regional employment increased by 19,200 jobs in 2013 and regional unemployment averaged 5.3 percent over the three months to December 2013, the lowest for regional areas in Australia.

Areas of particularly strong employment growth in 2013 included:

• Central-Highlands-Wimmera: 7,600 persons (7 percent increase)

• Loddon-Mallee: 19,300 persons (14.6 percent increase)

• Goulburn-Ovens-Murray: 7,600 persons (5 percent increase)

“We’ve been working closely with government and industry throughout Victoria to continually improve the business environment and are delighted to see these results,” says Mr Stone.

“The State Government must capitalise on this growth by pushing on with regional infrastructure projects, lowering costs for business and continuing red tape reform to ensure Victoria remains competitive.”

www.vecci.org.au 

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