Youth unemployment in Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley is rising as Labor’s regional jobs crisis continues, according to Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath.
Australia Bureau of Statistics data for June released last Thursday shows the region’s youth unemployment rate is 15.8 per cent, compared with the non-metropolitan average of 10.1 per cent.
“The ABS figures show that youth unemployment in Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley is rising, up 3 per cent from June last year and 4.6 per cent since Daniel Andrews came to office,” Ms Bath said.
“The Latrobe Valley is once again off the radar of the Andrews Labor Government, with their media release on the latest ABS data portraying a glowing picture for regional Victoria.”
“That’s not the case in Gippsland, which continues to struggle under the policies and actions of this government. When it comes to employment, it’s our youth – the future of the Latrobe Valley – being hardest hit.”
Ms Bath said Daniel Andrews was failing the region’s youth when he should be providing critical support so they can get a good start in the work force.
“While Daniel Andrews has been distracted by his rorting MPs and legislation aimed at appeasing his friends in the unions and inner-city Greens’ voters, the jobs crisis for youth in regional Victoria has worsened.”
“The city-centric Andrews Labor Government is again failing Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley.”
