COVID-19 leads to an estimated 2500 job losses in Sunraysia

MORE than 2500 jobs have been lost in the Sunraysia region since the COVID-19 crisis escalated in Australia, an analysis of employment data suggests.

In less than two months, an estimated 1208 jobs were lost in Mildura, as well as 272 in Irymple, 229 in Red Cliffs and 199 in the area spanning Wentworth, Buronga and Gol Gol.

Australian Development Strategies, Health Geographics and Education Geographics published the analysis.

It was based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) weekly payroll data, which reveals changes by state and industry.

The researchers used localised breakdowns of industries from 2016 Census data to estimate the impact on towns and suburbs.

Available online at arcg.is/1HeD5n, the analysis was intended to be updated regularly so that the effects of changes in coronavirus-related restrictions can be monitored.

It used the week ending March 14, when Australia recorded its 100th confirmed COVID-19 case, as a starting point and its most recent updated data was from last week.

The total number of jobs fell by at least 8 per cent in every part of Sunraysia covered in the analysis.

Hardest hit in percentage terms was an area defined as Mildura “north” — from Fourteenth Street to the river — followed by Red Cliffs and rural parts of the Mildura municipality, where the reduction was about 9.5 per cent.

Irymple’s fall was also among the steepest at 9.34 per cent.

Merbein was said to have lost 178 jobs and Robinvale 111.

All up, the Mildura local government area was said to have 2051 fewer jobs.

Adding the losses in Wentworth, Buronga, Gol Gol and Robinvale brings the total to 2504.

Australia-wide, the biggest per capita loss of jobs has occurred across smaller suburbs in rural and tourist regions such as Mount Beauty in Victoria or Port Douglas in far north Queensland, a post on the Health Demographics website said.

The closure of gyms, personal training groups and theatrical productions was said to be reflected in the data from suburbs close to capital city CBDs.

Suburbs relatively unaffected were dominated by public sector jobs such as Duntroon, Macarthur or Barton in the ACT, in remote indigenous communities such as the APY lands in South Australia or Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, or in mining towns such as Mount Isa or Weipa in Queensland or Roxby Downs in SA.

Estimated job losses since March 14

Mildura – north of Fourteenth Street: 666 (total number of jobs down 9.56 per cent)

Mildura – south of Fourteenth Street: 542 (8.92 per cent)

Merbein: 178 (8.89 per cent)

Irymple: 272 (9.34 per cent)

Red Cliffs: 229 (9.47 per cent)

Rest of Mildura local government area: 164 (9.47 per cent)

Wentworth-Buronga-Gol Gol: 199 (8.36 per cent)

Rest of Wentworth Shire-Balranald region: 143 (8.97 per cent)

Robinvale: 111 (9.07 per cent)

Source: Australian Development Strategies, Health Geographics and Education Geographics analysis of 2016 Census and May 5 ABS weekly payroll data