NSW fights back - 101,400 extra jobs

NSW job numbers grew by more than 100,000 with strong growth reported in Sydney and
regional areas, Minister for State Development Ian Macdonald said.
 
Mr Macdonald said Australian Bureau of Statistics data released recently show the State
enjoyed employment growth of 3.1 per cent (101,400) in the year to February 2008.
 
"The employment growth benefited a number of sectors of our economy and demonstrates
how the Iemma Government is delivering more jobs for this State," Mr Macdonald said.
 
"In the last financial year the NSW Government secured investment projects valued at
$1.1 billion in the Sydney metropolitan area, which will employ 2,312 people.
 
"In regional NSW, the Government also secured investment projects valued at a further
$1.6 billion which will employ another 4,125 people.
 
"We saw 36,000 new jobs created in the retail trade sector and 21,700 jobs created in
transport and storage.
 
"Health and community service jobs also increased by 19,700 jobs over the same period
and manufacturing jobs rose by 18,000.
 
"In the construction sector we saw extra 13,900 jobs generated.”
 
Mr Macdonald said the highest levels of jobs growth in percentage terms were recorded in
the following industry sectors:  

• Transport and storage - up 14.2 per cent;  
• Retail trade - up 7.7 per cent;  
• Health and community services - up 5.7 per cent;  
• Manufacturing - up 5.5 per cent;  
• Construction - up 4.8 per cent;  
• Personal and other services - up 4.7 per cent; and  
• Education - up 4.8 per cent.

Mr Macdonald said highlights of the Department of State and Regional Development’s
work for the NSW economy in 2006-07 included:
 

• Attracting investments valued at $254 million and the creation of 545 jobs in the logistics and transaction services sector.
• Attracting three film projects to NSW involving an investment of $66 million and the creation of 1,650 jobs during production.
• Assisting Aboriginal building companies to secure more than $4 million in sub-contracting work, creating more than 150 new jobs.

 
“The good news on NSW employment continued with the State’s unemployment rate
reaching a 30 year low of 4.2 per cent in February,” Mr Macdonald said.
 
"In March alone ABS data revealed another 34,800 jobs were created in NSW.”  
 
Regional breakdowns:
 

• Sydney – 51,800 new jobs
• Gosford-Wyong – 6,200 new jobs
• Hunter – 27,000 new jobs
• Northern/Far West/North Western/Central West – 17,600 new jobs
• Murray Murrumbidgee – 22,000 new jobs