SENATOR DEAN SMITH
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE SHADOW TREASURER
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR THE COST OF LIVING
LIBERAL SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA
23 April 2026
PERTH YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RISING AS COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS BITES
New analysis commissioned by Senator Dean Smith from the Parliamentary Library based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed a worrying rise in youth unemployment across Western Australia, with young people in Perth increasingly struggling to find work as cost-of-living pressures intensify under Labor.
The latest ABS Labour Force data shows Western Australia’s youth unemployment rate has climbed from 8.4 per cent in February 2025 to 9.6 per cent in February 2026 — a significantly sharper increase than the national rise over the same period.
In real terms, that means around 4,200 more young Western Australians are now unemployed compared to a year ago.
In Greater Perth, the trend is equally concerning with youth unemployment rising from the low levels seen in 2023 — around 8.2 per cent — to 9.4 per cent in early 2026, after peaking above 10 per cent during 2024.
At the same time, more young people are entering the workforce, but fewer are finding jobs.
The number of unemployed young people in Greater Perth has increased by approximately 2,400 over the past year on an annual average basis, even as participation has grown.
This points to a labour market that is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to enter — particularly in sectors most exposed to household spending pressures.
Across the economy, businesses are facing rising input costs, higher energy bills, increased borrowing costs, and declining consumer confidence — all of which are flowing through to hiring decisions.
Entry-level and part-time roles, which are critical for young people trying to get a start, are often the first to be cut or scaled back when conditions tighten.
The data shows that while youth unemployment nationally has edged higher, Western Australia has experienced one of the most pronounced deteriorations — highlighting the disproportionate impact on young people in the state.
This comes at a time when Western Australian households are already facing significant cost pressures, with rising rents, higher grocery bills, and elevated fuel prices putting additional strain on family budgets.
The result is a compounding effect — fewer job opportunities for young people, alongside increasing financial pressure at home.
Comments attributable to Senator Dean Smith
“Young Western Australians are going backwards under Labor, and this data confirms it.”
“After improving through 2023, youth unemployment in Perth has risen again — and thousands more young people are now out of work.”
“In just one year, we’ve seen around 4,200 more young Western Australians unemployed. That’s not a statistic — that’s thousands of young people struggling to get a start.”
“In Perth, more young people are looking for work, but more are being locked out of the workforce. That is a clear sign the labour market is softening.”
“This should be a wake-up call — because if young people can’t get that first job, it has long-term consequences for their careers and financial security.”
“Western Australia should be leading the nation — but instead, we’re seeing one of the sharpest rises in youth unemployment anywhere in the country.”