In the first half of July, the number of payroll jobs in Australia fell by 2.4 per cent with women and younger workers hit the hardest by job losses.
According to statistics from the Bureau of Statistics, between July 3 and July 17, jobs declined in New South Wales by 4.4 per cent, the largest margin in the nation. The data highlights the impact on jobs during the second and third weeks of Greater Sydney’s continuing lockdown.
Nationally, women lost jobs at a faster rate than men in these weeks, with payroll jobs held by women falling by 2.8 per cent, while men’s jobs declined by 2 per cent. Young people were the age demographic hit hardest during the period.
In NSW the situation is more pronounced, with jobs held by women declining by 5.3 per cent, and 3.5 per cent for men. Meanwhile jobs held by young people aged 15-19 dropped by 10.7 per cent, and for 20-29 year-olds, jobs declined by 7.4 per cent.
The industries most affected by job losses and declined business in NSW in early July, include accommodation and food services, the arts, and recreation services. These statistics only cover the first two weeks of July, before the construction industry was halted in NSW.
The data on job losses in NSW comes as new modelling from the Doherty Institute suggested young people are more likely to catch and transmit COVID-19, as they are more likely to be doing “essential work” and as a result tend to be more mobile day-to-day than older populations.
The modelling recommended a strategic shift in Australia’s vaccination rollout, to prioritise giving vaccines to young people, who until very recently were not eligible for any vaccine. Young people are now able to receive AstraZeneca if they wish, but in most parts of Australia, the Pfizer vaccine is not currently available to them.