Australian Unemployment Rate Remains at 4.2 Percent, More Working Part-Time

Australia’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2 percent in August, according to seasonally adjusted Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data. More Australians than ever are continuing to engage in the employment market, while they are also working more hours per month. However, the number of individuals working part-time rose by 50,600, while full-time employment fell by 3,100. Overall, the data, released Sept. 19, showed nearly 14.5 million Australians were employed in August. The number of employed people rose by 47,500, while those unemployed fell by 10,500. “This resulted in the unemployment rate remaining steady at 4.2 percent and the participation rate remaining at its record high of 67.1 percent,” ABS head of labour statistics Kate Lamb said....