Tuesday, 30 August 2022

Morwell electorate employment

Mr NORTHE (Morwell) (19:15): (6512) My adjournment matter is directed to the Treasurer. The action I seek from the Treasurer is for him to develop a plan for the Latrobe Valley that outlines how the government intends to reduce unemployment in the Morwell electorate whilst maintaining and growing services at the same time.

Last week the state government and the Treasurer noted that Victoria’s regional unemployment rate had fallen to a record low of 2.9 per cent in July 2022. In spruiking these figures the Treasurer said Victoria’s regional unemployment rate was by far the lowest regional unemployment rate in the nation according to ABS statistics. The media statement of last week went on to say that the unemployment rate was 2.5 per cent in the Latrobe-Gippsland region. In my time in Parliament I have come to realise that statistics, particularly unemployment statistics, can be massaged to overshadow the reality on the ground and the true unemployment challenges in local towns and communities, so let me outline what the reality is in my community using data released by the National Skills Commission in March 2022, Small Area Labour Markets, and associated information, which says the following: Latrobe city currently has an unemployment rate of 5.1 per cent, with 2683 people unemployed; Traralgon unemployment sits at 5 per cent, with 726 people unemployed; in Moe-Newborough unemployment is 9.5 per cent, with 699 persons unemployed; Churchill’s unemployment rate is 5.3 per cent, with 306 persons unemployed; and Morwell’s unemployment rate is 15.3 per cent, with 863 people unemployed. Compared to the regional unemployment average these are concerning statistics.

From my perspective it is further troubling given the changes to our workforce and industry profile and the withdrawal of services and closure of businesses in some of our towns and the flow-on effects, directly and indirectly. The transition away from current power stations and native timber sectors is yet to be fully realised in our community. Unless there are thorough and proper supports and plans in place over the next few years my fear is these unemployment rates will rise further and place our people further into disadvantage. Transition, along with COVID-19 impacts and COVID rules, has and is still having a major impact. In Morwell we have seen the closure of restaurants, such as the Vault and Saltbush Restaurant & Cafe, and even social enterprise A Kinder Cup Cafe has closed, which ironically was located in the government’s own GovHub. Morwell businesses and enterprise rely on public service employees being at work in Morwell, but the work-from-home rules have made life extraordinarily difficult. Like Morwell, Churchill has seen the withdrawal of multiple banking services and the closure of shops, even including Ritchies IGA supermarket and the Hazelwood House aged care facility. So we not only have the issue of unacceptably high employment rates in our towns, we have seen the withdrawal of crucial services. Our community needs confidence. We need a plan. Do not throw fudged unemployment statistics at us, give us a plan that talks about real jobs.