The latest Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Department statistics show that unemployment in the Port Pirie City region dropped from 8.2 percent in March last year to 5.7 percent in March this year.

This is a significant improvement in Port Pirie and is comparable with the State-wide jobless rate of 5.1 percent.

Geoff Brand, who is employment services manager of job placement agency Employ-ment Directions, said the statistics were most likely to have been calculated based on the number of people on the dole.

He said most of the jobs in the region could be found in retail, hospitality, industry, seasonal grains work and at Nyrstar smelter.

“There is not a lot of turn-over at the smelter, though,” he said.

Chamber of Commerce President Marcus Stephens said the unemployment drop may have been related to the Federal Govern-ment’s Economic Stimulus Package which saw increased jobs relating to the Nation Building Program.

He said opportunities for more jobs in the region would come from new businesses and growth in the area.

“What we need to do is continue to create more opportunity,” he said.

“We will continue to work with local members of Parliament, council and local businesses in the area to create opportunities.”

– Monica O’Shea