BRIMBANK is teetering on the brink of a jobs crisis as the west bears the brunt of the state’s employment decline.
More than 1000 local residents joined the jobless queue in the past 12 months, taking to almost 8000 the number of unemployed people in Brimbank.
‘Small area labour market’ figures for the December quarter show Sunshine’s adjusted unemployment rate has ballooned from 9.3 per cent to 11.1 per cent since January last year, the second-highest rate in Melbourne.
The Keilor area is also suffering, slipping from 5.5 per cent to 6.3 per cent.
The slide looks set to continue as manufacturing is pounded by the high Australian dollar, forcing jobs and investment offshore.
Western Metropolitan Liberal MP Bernie Finn laid the blame directly with the federal government, insisting the yet-to-be-introduced carbon tax would be the final nail in the coffin for industry.
“The problem is this carbon tax is pushing us into a recession. There are a lot of companies who have been sailing close to the breeze and obviously they are going to go out of business.”
But opposition treasury spokesman Tim Holding pointed to the state government’s mid-year financial report, saying it was proof that it was the one failing workers.
“Victoria’s financial position is deteriorating, public investment is declining, jobs are being slashed, debt is rapidly rising and Victorians have nothing to show for it.”
Sunshine Business Association president Bruce White said small, family-run businesses were best able to ride through a retail downturn.
“It’s the chain stores and department stores where you see a downturn in sales that you are likely to see the cuts in retail,” he said.
