Payroll jobs fell by 2.4 per cent nationally in the fortnight to 17 July 2021, following a 0.2 per cent fall in the previous fortnight, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.
Bjorn Jarvis, head of Labour Statistics at the ABS, said: "The latest fortnight of data coincided with school holidays in every state and territory, the second and third weeks of the Greater Sydney lockdown, increased COVID-19 restrictions in other parts of New South Wales and the first two days of lockdown in Victoria."
"While every state and territory saw a fall in payroll jobs across the fortnight, the falls were much larger in New South Wales (down 4.4 per cent) and neighbouring Australian Capital Territory (down 2.4 per cent)."
New South Wales usually accounts for around a third (32.0 per cent) of total payroll jobs and Victoria around a quarter (26.2 per cent). As a result, lockdowns in these two states contributed to a strong fall in payroll jobs nationally.
| Week ending | New South Wales (pts) | Victoria (pts) | Australia (pts) | Rest of Australia (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-Mar-20 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| 21-Mar-20 | 99.0 | 98.6 | 99.0 | 99.2 |
| 28-Mar-20 | 95.6 | 95.2 | 95.5 | 95.6 |
| 04-Apr-20 | 93.1 | 92.5 | 92.9 | 93.1 |
| 11-Apr-20 | 91.9 | 91.4 | 91.6 | 91.6 |
| 18-Apr-20 | 91.7 | 91.4 | 91.6 | 91.7 |
| 25-Apr-20 | 92.1 | 92.1 | 92.2 | 92.2 |
| 02-May-20 | 92.7 | 92.4 | 92.7 | 92.8 |
| 09-May-20 | 93.5 | 92.7 | 93.3 | 93.6 |
| 16-May-20 | 94.3 | 93.0 | 93.9 | 94.3 |
| 23-May-20 | 94.8 | 93.2 | 94.3 | 94.6 |
| 30-May-20 | 95.4 | 93.9 | 94.8 | 94.9 |
| 06-Jun-20 | 96.6 | 94.9 | 95.8 | 95.7 |
| 13-Jun-20 | 96.6 | 95.9 | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| 20-Jun-20 | 96.6 | 96.0 | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| 27-Jun-20 | 96.6 | 95.1 | 96.0 | 96.0 |
| 04-Jul-20 | 98.2 | 96.3 | 97.4 | 97.6 |
| 11-Jul-20 | 99.7 | 96.9 | 98.6 | 98.9 |
| 18-Jul-20 | 99.8 | 96.7 | 98.7 | 99.2 |
| 25-Jul-20 | 100.1 | 96.7 | 99.0 | 99.6 |
| 01-Aug-20 | 100.4 | 96.8 | 99.2 | 99.9 |
| 08-Aug-20 | 100.6 | 96.3 | 99.3 | 100.1 |
| 15-Aug-20 | 100.7 | 95.6 | 99.2 | 100.2 |
| 22-Aug-20 | 100.7 | 95.3 | 99.2 | 100.5 |
| 29-Aug-20 | 100.9 | 95.5 | 99.3 | 100.5 |
| 05-Sep-20 | 101.3 | 95.7 | 99.6 | 100.7 |
| 12-Sep-20 | 101.6 | 96.0 | 100.0 | 101.3 |
| 19-Sep-20 | 101.7 | 96.4 | 100.2 | 101.5 |
| 26-Sep-20 | 101.7 | 96.3 | 100.0 | 101.1 |
| 03-Oct-20 | 100.7 | 95.7 | 99.3 | 100.5 |
| 10-Oct-20 | 100.5 | 96.1 | 99.4 | 100.7 |
| 17-Oct-20 | 101.5 | 96.7 | 100.2 | 101.5 |
| 24-Oct-20 | 101.8 | 97.1 | 100.5 | 101.7 |
| 31-Oct-20 | 101.7 | 98.1 | 100.8 | 101.7 |
| 07-Nov-20 | 102.0 | 98.8 | 101.2 | 102.1 |
| 14-Nov-20 | 102.7 | 99.8 | 102.0 | 102.7 |
| 21-Nov-20 | 103.2 | 100.3 | 102.3 | 102.8 |
| 28-Nov-20 | 103.4 | 101.0 | 102.6 | 103.0 |
| 05-Dec-20 | 103.8 | 101.9 | 103.3 | 103.7 |
| 12-Dec-20 | 103.8 | 102.2 | 103.4 | 103.9 |
| 19-Dec-20 | 103.1 | 101.7 | 102.6 | 102.9 |
| 26-Dec-20 | 99.5 | 98.0 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 02-Jan-21 | 96.5 | 95.5 | 96.0 | 96.0 |
| 09-Jan-21 | 97.9 | 96.4 | 97.4 | 97.7 |
| 16-Jan-21 | 100.1 | 98.4 | 99.6 | 100.0 |
| 23-Jan-21 | 101.0 | 99.4 | 100.6 | 100.9 |
| 30-Jan-21 | 101.5 | 100.1 | 101.1 | 101.4 |
| 06-Feb-21 | 102.0 | 100.8 | 101.5 | 101.6 |
| 13-Feb-21 | 102.7 | 101.3 | 102.2 | 102.4 |
| 20-Feb-21 | 102.8 | 101.6 | 102.5 | 102.8 |
| 27-Feb-21 | 103.2 | 102.2 | 102.9 | 103.2 |
| 06-Mar-21 | 103.5 | 102.3 | 103.1 | 103.4 |
| 13-Mar-21 | 103.8 | 102.8 | 103.5 | 103.7 |
| 20-Mar-21 | 103.8 | 103.0 | 103.6 | 103.8 |
| 27-Mar-21 | 103.6 | 102.7 | 103.4 | 103.7 |
| 03-Apr-21 | 102.8 | 101.7 | 102.5 | 102.7 |
| 10-Apr-21 | 102.3 | 101.6 | 102.2 | 102.6 |
| 17-Apr-21 | 103.1 | 102.0 | 102.9 | 103.4 |
| 24-Apr-21 | 103.6 | 102.9 | 103.5 | 103.8 |
| 01-May-21 | 104.0 | 103.3 | 103.8 | 104.1 |
| 08-May-21 | 104.0 | 103.6 | 104.1 | 104.5 |
| 15-May-21 | 104.1 | 103.9 | 104.3 | 104.8 |
| 22-May-21 | 104.4 | 104.0 | 104.6 | 105.0 |
| 29-May-21 | 104.4 | 103.1 | 104.3 | 104.9 |
| 05-Jun-21 | 104.3 | 101.5 | 103.8 | 104.9 |
| 12-Jun-21 | 104.9 | 102.3 | 104.4 | 105.5 |
| 19-Jun-21 | 104.8 | 103.2 | 104.7 | 105.6 |
| 26-Jun-21 | 104.7 | 103.7 | 104.8 | 105.5 |
| 03-Jul-21 | 104.1 | 103.5 | 104.5 | 105.5 |
| 10-Jul-21 | 100.9 | 102.1 | 102.8 | 104.6 |
| 17-Jul-21 | 99.5 | 101.6 | 102.0 | 104.2 |
Rest of Australia excludes New South Wales and Victoria.
"The Accommodation and food services and Arts and recreation services industries saw large falls over the fortnight, down by 19.0 per cent and 18.0 per cent in New South Wales and by 8.7 per cent and 4.5 per cent nationally," Mr Jarvis said.
"As we saw in the early weeks of the pandemic last year, payroll jobs held by women and workers under 30 were particularly impacted, especially in New South Wales."
| Percentage change in the fortnight to 17 July 2021 | Australia (%) | New South Wales (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Males | -2.0 | -3.5 |
| Females | -2.8 | -5.1 |
| 15-19 year olds | -3.6 | -10.7 |
| 20-29 year olds | -3.9 | -7.4 |
"In comparing payroll job losses over time, it's important to remember that current government support payments around COVID restrictions are paid directly to people or businesses, rather than through payrolls," Mr Jarvis said.
"Employees who were temporarily stood down and were not paid by their employer will be reflected in a fall in payroll jobs. The next Labour Force release, on 19 August, will provide insights into how many of these people retained an attachment to their job in July and how hours worked were impacted."
The ABS acknowledges the continued support from the Australian Taxation Office in enabling the ABS to produce weekly insights into the Australian labour market.
