Long dole queues and high welfare cost as Queensland unemployment records worst since 2003 The latest job figures show the unemployment rate for October has remained stable on 6.2 per cent. QUEENSLAND'S highest unemployment rate in more than a decade will cost taxpayers at least $53 million a fortnight in welfare payments. While the national jobless rate remained steady at 6.2 per cent, Queensland's seasonally adjusted labour force figures went from 6.3 per cent in September to 7 per cent last month. The last time it hit 7 per cent was in April 2003. The result comes as national youth unemployment is at its highest level since 2001, with 14 per cent of 15-to-24 year olds looking to the taxpayer to pick up their bills. The data, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, yesterday sparked Queensland's Opposition treasury spokesman Curtis Pitt to urge the Newman Government to stop spending taxpayers" money on its plan for asset sales and instead start planning for job creation. Treasurer Tim Nicholls admitted the Government needed to do more to get Queenslanders a job but questioned the veracity of the ABS data. Last month the ABS made an embarrassing admission that its jobs data was unreliable, and would reissue labour force figures for June and August. Youth unemployment is at its highest level since 2001, costing taxpayers millions in Newstart and Youth Allowance payments. Picture: Justin Lloyd "Those employment numbers, of course, act to stimulate the Government to work harder to find jobs for people," Mr Nicholls said. Given the latest revisions and the challenges the ABS has faced, we are looking very closely at those numbers and I note that some people have already commented about the reliability of those figures. But irrespective of whether those figures are right or wrong, the Government does remain committed to working hard to find jobs for Queenslanders. The October data reveals there were 175,600 unemployed people in Queensland. The jobless rate for Queensland men was 6.8 per cent, up from 6.1 per cent, and 7.3 per cent for women, up from 6.6 per cent. The increase will cost taxpayers millions more to fund Newstart and Youth Allowance payments. Queensland's bill alone is likely to exceed $53 million. At the same time last year, Queensland's dole tab was just under $50 million. Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls admits the Government needs to do more to get Queenslanders a job. Picture: Philip Norrish Nationally, more people found full-time jobs. However, there was a decrease in part-time employment. Federal Employment Minister Eric Abetz again urged the Senate to pass the stalled Budget measures. "The Government has a suite of legislation before the Senate that will fuel job creation,"" Senator Abetz said. " (The) underlying softness in the labour market shows that there is still much more that needs to be done."" Originally published as Beautiful one day jobless the next