Stronger Wages, Less Unemployment

Western Australian wages are despite the global economic turbulence of 2007-9
continuing to grow above the national average. Its unemployment rate will be lower:
Western Australia’s unemployment rate is forecast to rise from an average rate of
3.0% over 2008-09 to 4.0% in 2009-10, well below the national forecast of 7.5%.
Unlike many other sea-change towns, Albany has a lower rate of unemployment than affluent inner-city areas of Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne at 4.9% (as against Thebarton, Newtown and Fitzroy sitting at 6%). Albany’s average worker’s income at $34 818, an income equivalent to that of many middle-class suburbs of Australian capital cities. Western Australia's average weekly earnings increased by 1.5% in the 3 months to May 2009, at the worst of the recent downturn, and rose by 5.9% through the year to May 2009, to stand at $1,052. Nationally, average weekly earnings rose by 0.6% over the quarter and increased by 3.8% in the four quarters to May 2009, to $922. Between August 1996-2006, 27% (227,100 persons) more people were employed in Western Australia and the number of unemployed persons had almost halved to 30,100.