The downturn in Queensland’s tourism sector is largely responsible for Queensland’s higher than national average unemployment rate. This is reasonably clear from the following chart I prepared based on the ABS Labour Force data released last month.

According to my calculations, Far North Queensland is responsible for over half of the 0.4% difference between the Queensland and Australian-average unemployment rates. So, if Cairns’s tourism sector and broader economy remain sluggish, it’s likely Queensland’s unemployment rate will remain above the national average.