Every month, the AUWU researchers compare the Australian Bureau of Statistics (seasonally adjusted) on unemployment, underemployment and hidden unemployment with the Department of Employment’s job vacancies statistics. These are the government’s own figures! They give us an invaluable insight, albeit almost certainly understated, into the state of Australia’s labour market.

We are in an employment crisis. No political party is even acknowledging this situation, let alone trying to fix it. Australia has no political leadership on this issue.

2020 (August)

1,614,412 competing for 104,880 job vacancies

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 15.39

2020 (June)

1,640,773 competing for 79,281 job vacancies

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 20.69

2018 (December)

Unemployed: 666,700 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Underemployed: 1,117,500 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden’ unemployed: 1,080,000 (Participation Job Search and Mobility February 2018, ABS 6226.0)

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 183,900′

2,864,200 competing for 183,900 job vacancies

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 15.57

2018 (September)

Unemployed: 667,500 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Underemployed: 1,103,200 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

‘Hidden unemployed’: 1,080,000 (Participation Job Search and Mobility February 2018, ABS 6226.0)

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 182,500

2,850,700 competing for 182,500 job vacancies

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 15.62

2018 (August)

Unemployed: 708,800 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Under employed: 1,102,100 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

‘Hidden unemployed’: 1,080,000 (Participation Job Search and Mobility February 2018, ABS 6226.0)

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report:183,000 (August 2018)

2,890,900 competing for 183,000 jobs [38200]

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 15.79

2018 (May)

Unemployed: 715,000 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Under employed:1,121,900 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

‘Hidden unemployed’: 1,080,000 (Participation Job Search and Mobility February 2018, ABS 6226.0)

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 178299 (May 2018)

2,916,900 competing for 178299 jobs

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 16.35

2018 (February)

Unemployed: 730,600 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

‘Hidden unemployed’: 1,080,000 (Participation Job Search and Mobility February 2018, ABS 6226.0)

Under employed:1,118,600 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 178,600 (December 2017)

2,929,200 competing for 178,600 jobs [26600]

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 16.40

2017 (February)

32500

Unemployed: 748,000 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden unemployed: 1,047,500 (Participation Job Search and Mobility February 2017, ABS 6226.0)

Under employed: 1,138,000 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 165,848

2,933,500 competing for 165, 848 jobs

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 17.68

2016 (November)

Unemployed: 725,200 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Underemployed: 1, 059,400 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 163, 700

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 19.36

2016 (August)

Unemployed: 713,300 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Underemployed: 1,110,100 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 166,800

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 19.24

2016 (May)

Unemployment: 731,600 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Underemployed: 1.067 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 167,500 job vacancies

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 19

2016 (February)

Unemployment: 732,600 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Underemployment: 1,058,900 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 166,500

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 19.13

2016 (January)

Unemployment: 761,400 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Underemployment: 1,068,000 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 166,700

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 19.3

2015 (September)

Unemployment: 742, 300 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Underemployment: 1,068,000 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 160, 900

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 20

2015 (August)

Unemployment: 778, 400 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Under Employment: 1051.2 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 155,00

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 20.7

2015 (January)

unemployment: 777.3 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

underemployment: 1060.9 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 159.4

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 20

2014 (Feb-Jan)

unemployment: 724.7 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

underemployment: 953.9 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 147.7

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 20.8

2013 (Feb-Jan)

unemployment: 655.2 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

underemployed: 867.7 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.386 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 144.9

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 20

2012 (Feb-Jan)

unemployment: 619,100 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

underemployed: 874,400 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.32 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the ABS

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 193,300

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 14.5

2011 (Feb-Jan)

unemployment: 586,300 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

underemployed: 816,100 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.32 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 213,00

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 12.77

2010 (Feb-Jan)

unemployment 611,700 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

underemployed: 866,700 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.32 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 188,000

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 14.9

2009 (Feb-Jan)

unemployment: 604,500 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

underemployed: 831,700 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.25 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 181,200

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 14.8

2008 (Feb-Jan)

underemployment 661,900 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

unemployment: 657,300 (Labor Force, ABS 6202.0)

Hidden Unemployment: 1.155 million looking for work but not in the labour force according to the latest ABS figures

Department of Employment, Vacancy Report: 305,300

Ratio of job seekers to job vacancies: 1 to 8

In the graph below, you can see the number of people wanting more work is about three times the unemployment rate which is what government and media often focus on. At 14%, that’s about one in seven Australian workers without enough work. Are we going to call all those people “leaners” and “bludgers”?