Mining jobs have increased in the last six months, but the mining industry is not the largest job generator in the Australian economy. In contrast to 14,400 mining jobs generated the construction industry created 40,000 jobs, the transport industry had 24,000 jobs, the health care sector 24,000 jobs and even agriculture topped the mining industry with 22,000 jobs.
The Treasury secretary Ken Henry had given evidence to a Senate committee last month saying that the mining industry did not save Australia from the recession. The figures melted out regarding employment will serve to boost that claim.
Although Australia avoided the worst of the recession, the global mining industry did experience a deep recession and its effects were felt in Australia as well. With the first six months of 2009 seeing mining companies letting go off 15% of its workers. Investment in mining and output of the industry were also affected.
However things are now looking up with the mining sector growing by 17.8% in the last year. The Federal Government needs to prevent a loss of growth momentum in the mining industry by quickly sorting out the problems surrounding the resources super profits tax.