Greater Dandenong’s future is looking stronger than ever, as the City’s unemployment rate hits a 15 year low. According to the Commonwealth Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, unemployment fell by a third during the two years up to December 2005, to currently rest at 6.9 per cent.
Council’s Corporate Services Director, Ross Hepburn, said over the same period, employment grew by approximately 2,400 people.
“Unemployment has been decreasing fairly steadily since 1991, when it peaked at 18 per cent,” he said. “After briefly dropping to 8.3 per cent in March 2000, it rose again in early 2004. The fall to 6.9 per cent is great news for the region and instils confidence in future investors as well. Greater Dandenong is the manufacturing hub of Melbourne’s south east and plays a major role in reducing unemployment figures. Figures have been steadily decreasing to the current amount of approximately 4,300 people, thanks to the continuing job growth and creation in the area.”
Greater Dandenong Council has also contributed to the drop in the unemployment rate with the opening of the Drum Theatre, Dandenong Town Hall. This venue now has 30 staff members covering a variety of part time, casual and full time roles.
