Tightening labour force
Lots of people would like more work, which probably isn't that surprising given the ongoing casualisation of the workforce.
But the volume of underutilisation is clearly falling, as at November 2018 down to the lowest level since the ABS began reporting this in its surveys at 7 per cent.
The improvement has been driven by New South Wales (6.3 per cent) and Victoria (6.5 per cent), where the jobs markets have now picked up to levels consistent with stronger wages growth.
Total construction employment has declined to a still-elevated 1.15 million, which is the lowest level in 15 months, albeit still 9 per cent of the total number of employed Aussies.
This figure will likely fall further given that about three-quarters of construction employment relates to the residential sector.
On the other hand mining employment has picked up sharply to the highest level in four years.
