Total employment rose 25.7k in March, stronger than the market median estimate of 15k. The three month average is now 23.7k, from 21.8k in February, indicative of a robust trend in the labour market so far in 2019. In the year to March employment has lifted 305k or 2.4%. In the year employment has grown 129.7k in NSW compared to a slightly smaller 122.7k gain in Victoria. With the recent tick-up in unemployment in both NSW and Victoria, the ABS now reports a 0.6ppt fall in unemployment in the year for both states, but NSW is at a national low of 4.3% and Victoria is 4.6%. The April and May we have seen weakness ... (full story)