It's not all rosy in Townsville. The story doesn't mention youth unemployment which is high throughout Qld.

No luck with work a sign of the times

THEY call Australia the lucky country but this New Zealand couple has had no such thing trying to find work.

Jason McLaughlin and Vickie Wells, both 41, arrived in Townsville four weeks ago looking for more job opportunities and a better lifestyle.

They have struggled to find work since stepping off the plane, which lead them to stand at the side of a busy road yesterday with signs pleading for someone to give them a chance.

Economists yesterday warned that while the region's unemployment rate had eased to 5.6 per cent from 6.7 per cent in February it was still difficult to find steady work.

Mr McLaughlin said he was told it would be easy to find work in North Queensland.

"We never thought it would be this hard," he said.

"We're so fed up we got signs and stood on the road until someone spoke to us."

The former waste water technician said better pay conditions had lured them to Australia.

"We were told there was a lot of work here in construction and waste water and we'd heard the economy was good and Vickie would get work easily in sales or retail," he said.

"Before coming here employers said they wouldn't accept a New Zealand worker unless we met in person so I couldn't set up an interview."

After signing up with several recruitment agencies the pair had very little interview offers or call backs.

"So far we haven't had any luck," he said.

"We didn't have savings when we came over, we just had enough to get here and buy a car."

The couple stayed at a friend's place for three weeks and recently moved into a Belgian Gardens half-way house.

Ms Wells, a former sales representative and ambulance officer volunteer, said they now each had job interviews after spending four hours on Dalrymple Rd waving signs.

"I'm working casually in a restaurant at Domain but it's just not enough," he said.

Regional Economist Colin Dwyer said unemployment was still a huge issue for certain sectors of the community.

"It's a significant issue for indigenous people, youth and for school leavers aged 17 to about 24 it's reasonably high," he said.

"The other important sector struggling is older people (and) females have a higher unemployment rate than men do."

The region's unemployment rate for March improved to 5.6 per cent compared with 6.7 per cent in February. The unemployment rate for women was 7.2 per cent and for men 4.2 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data from Townsville and Mount Isa.

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2012/05/02/327061_news.html

What's the difference? Even if we brought the inhabitants of Cocos to the mainland, there's still high unemployment. They'd end up getting the same benefits.

It's just a matter of where you'd prefer to live out your workless days. I don't think they're any better off than the jobless here.

Frances wrote on May 15^th, 2012 at 12:08am:




My nomination for "Come-back Of The Week".

Good one!

falah wrote on May 19^th, 2012 at 12:56pm:


So have they been out of work and collecting the dole since 1978 have they ??

OK so there is no coconut industry so they can go back home again and get a job in Malaysia

Don't worry. Muslims always pretend to be holier than thou but they know where to go when there is an extra nickle to be doled out

falah wrote on May 19^th, 2012 at 1:02pm:


And where would you muslims get social welfare from ? Another generous islamic country LOL

falah wrote on May 19^th, 2012 at 1:23pm:


So that's great news for all of the boat people from Afghanistan. No need to come here

your all a pack of arseholes
complaining about the taxation.

this great country of Australia made this welfare problem, when they dicided too NOT TRAIN Australians for the JOBS the country needs.

one muslim family man is not the problem, because muslims don't take our jobs , they generally make there own, when they come here to live and take residence in Australia.

They do there own type of employment.