Australia’s trend unemployment rate decreased to 5.1 per cent in December 2019, according to the latest information released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

“In December 2019, the trend unemployment rate decreased slightly to 5.1 per cent, its lowest level since April 2019,” ABS Chief Economist Bruce Hockman said.

Trend employment for the month increased by around 18,000 people, with both full-time and part-time employment increasing by around 9,000 people.

Over the past year, trend employment increased by around 261,000 people (2.1 per cent), which continued to be above the average annual growth over the past 20 years (2.0 per cent).

Full-time employment growth (1.5 per cent) was below the average annual growth over the past 20 years (1.6 per cent) and part-time employment growth (3.2 per cent) was above the average annual growth over the past 20 years (3.0 per cent).

“While there has been stronger growth in part-time employment over the past year, the underemployment rate is still where it was last December, at 8.3 per cent,” Mr Hockman said.

The trend monthly hours worked increased by 0.2 per cent in December 2019 and by 1.7 per cent over the past year. This was in line with the 20 year average annual growth of 1.7 per cent.

For December 2019, the monthly trend unemployment rate increased in the Northern Territory, decreased in Queensland and Tasmania in December 2019 and rate remained steady in all other states and the Australian Capital Territory.

Over the year, unemployment rates fell in Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Unemployment rates increased in all other states and the Northern Territory.