Job Vacancies
August quarter 2011
Job vacancies data (ABS Cat No 6354.0) for the Table 1: Job vacancies by jurisdiction,
August quarter 2011 were released on August quarter 2011, original data
29 September 2011. The next release is scheduled Original Number of job Quarterly Annual
for 11 January 2012. data vacancies ('000) % change % change
The ABS defines a job vacancy as any job available NSW 47.1 -0.4 -11.0
for immediate filling for which recruitment action
Vic 41.9 2.7 4.2
has been taken. The ABS scope for recruitment
action is broader and more comprehensive than Qld 44.6 7.2 33.5
externally advertising vacancy series released by SA 8.9 -14.4 -33.1
the ANZ or DEEWR. WA 32.8 17.1 15.5
This collection was discontinued by the ABS Tas 2.3 0.0 -11.5
following the May quarter 2008 publication and NT 3.1 -26.2 -27.9
was reinstated in the November quarter 2009. As ACT 6.0 -6.3 -3.2
the ABS has also changed the survey methodology, Aus 186.7 3.1 2.9
estimates from the reinstated survey are not
SOURCE: JOB VACANCIES, ABS CAT NO 6354.0: TABLE 1
directly comparable with the previous series.
Table 2: Job vacancies, Tasmania and
Data on a jurisdictional level are only available in
Australia, original data
original terms, thus seasonal and irregular factors
may also affect quarterly movements. These Original data Aug 10 Feb 11 May 11 Aug 11
original estimates also have high relative standard Number of job vacancies ('000s)
errors.
Tasmania 2.6 2.3 2.3 2.3
Recent performance Australia 181.4 189.9 181.0 186.7
The estimated number of job vacancies in Quarterly % change
Tasmania was 2 300 in the August quarter 2011 in Tasmania 52.9 -11.5 0.0 0.0
original terms, unchanged from the level recorded Australia 10.1 -2.0 -4.7 3.1
in the May quarter 2011, but 11.5 per cent below
SOURCE: JOB VACANCIES, ABS CAT NO 6354.0: TABLE 1
the estimated level one year earlier. Nationally,
the estimated number of job vacancies rose by There are approximately nineteen chances in
3.1 per cent in the August quarter 2011, and was twenty that the real value falls within the range
2.9 per cent higher than the same period one year 1 500 to 3 100 persons (2 300 vacancies plus or
earlier. minus two standard errors).
The standard error of the estimate for Tasmania This standard error is equivalent to a relative
in the August quarter 2011 was 400 vacancies. standard error of 17.4 per cent in the
The interpretation of this is that there are two August quarter 2011. Treasury advises that the
chances in three that the real value falls within the data should be used with caution as the sampling
range 1 900 to 2 700 vacancies (2 300 vacancies variability of the Tasmanian estimate is not suitable
plus or minus one standard error). for most practical purposes.
This Data Release is not to be reproduced or altered without the permission of the Economic Analysis Unit.
Contact Details
Qing Zhang
Principal Research Officer
Economic.Analysis@treasury.tas.gov.au
Department of Treasury and Finance