Parramatta. Dramatic unemployment rate

Unemployment rates in Parramatta are three times higher in one section of the city than another, according to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations’ Small Area Labour Markets report for the December 2009 quarter. The report shows the following unemployment rate in four sections of the Parramatta LGA: North-West, 4.2 per cent (compared to 2.7 per cent December 2008); North-East, 4.4 per cent (2.9 per cent); Inner, 6.3 per cent (4.5 per cent); South, 13.3 per cent (9.8 per cent). In the region, Blacktown-South-West, recorded the highest unemployment rate of 14.2 per cent (13.0 per cent), followed by Fairfield-East, 13.7 per cent (10.4 per cent) and Bankstown-North-East, 11.5 per cent (9.0 per cent). The rate for the Sydney SLA was 6.1 per cent (4.5 per cent).