Mandurah's unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in six-and-a-half years, with more local people in a job today than at any point in the city's history, the Mandurah Mail can reveal.
Despite negative reports in other media outlets about the state of Mandurah's economy, new Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures indicate talk of financial doom and gloom is ill-founded.
Mandurah's unemployment rate in June 2019 was 5.4 per cent - the lowest since January 2013 (4.8 per cent).
The local unemployment rate has dropped 3.2 per cent in the last 12 months - it was 8.6 per cent in June 2018.
There are currently 45,100 people living in the Mandurah area that are employed - the highest number in ABS recorded history.
With an employment figure of 38,700 in the June 2018 statistics, this shows 6400 more people in Mandurah have a job now than 12 months ago.
The number of unemployed people is also the lowest in more than six years.
In June 2019 there were 2600 unemployed people living in Mandurah, which is the fewest since March 2013, when 2500 residents were out of work.
Peel Chamber of Commerce and Industry general manager Andrew McKerrell said the statistics made for welcome reading.
"It is absolutely fantastic to see these kind of figures coming out and it shows that we have a really bright future ahead of us," he said.
"At the end of the day, stats and figures don't lie, so regardless of politics, this is showing that our community is starting to get back up and really move towards the future."
Mr McKerrell said key projects in the Peel and South-West, as well as further afield, may be playing a role in Mandurah residents finding jobs.
"I would think this has to do with a lot of the work being done by the state government, as well as the local governments in the Peel region, in regards to infrastructure and economic development projects," he said.
"I'm sure these initiatives, such as the Nambeelup Business Park and the West Mundijong Business Park, have had a lot to do with these employment figures.
"With our proximity to some of the larger growth areas, including the astronomical amount of state money being spent down south on infrastructure in Bunbury, I would think some of the employment figures would have to relate to those projects.
"I don't think all of the drop in unemployment in our region necessarily has to do with regards to jobs within our region.
"At the end of the day, if the jobs are north or south, that's still a positive. The people are our community are bringing those wages back.
"They might not be employed in our region, but in the interim it is great they actually have jobs."
Mr McKerrell said despite Mandurah being portrayed in a negative light at times this year, everywhere had challenges to overcome.
"Every town and city in Australia has its ups and downs, nowhere's perfect," he said.
"Even the media attention around Perth CBD - our own capital city is suffering.
"These figures are showing that the fixes are coming, which is exactly what we want to see."
