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854 Hunter Street, Newcastle West 55 Years Of LOCAL News


in your POST


READY FOR THE JAB p5


IT’LL BE CRUISY p8 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012 It’s LOCAL life! By MICHAEL BLAXLAND


THE Hunter is well poised to be protected from a predicted worsening of the international economic climate. Employer confi dence is soaring in the Hunter, according to international employment agency Hudson.


This is despite predictions last week that the European economy could be headed for a technical recession. The World Bank cut expectations for global growth and warned that Asia, which has fuelled Australia’s growth, could be dragged down as well.


Employer confidence in the Hunter is at its highest level since June 2008, according to Hudson’s latest Employment Expectations report, refl ecting the views of 4338 employers across


Australia surveyed last month, showed just under half of the Hunter’s employers (48.9 per cent) were confi dent about their hiring intentions and workface stability over the next three months. This represented a rise of 15 percentage points (pp) over the last quarter. Nationally, only about a quarter of employers were as confi dent about the next few months.


Hudson Hunter general manager James Tocci said employer confi dence in the construction/ property/engineering sector had risen sharply with over three-quarters of hiring managers planning to increase headcount over the coming three months. “That refl ects a number of current and planned local infrastructure developments,” he said. Sentiment in the government sector is also strong, with 20.8 per cent of employers planning


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www.newcastlepost.com.au 49 610 310


Skirting the GFC v2.0 Skirting the GFC v2.0


to increase permanent workforce in the first quarter of 2012.


“This is a 15.4pp lift on the fi gures recorded during the last quarter and a 17.2 rise year-on- year,” Mr Tocci said.


“Three-quarters of surveyed employers plan to hold headcount steady over the coming three months and only 6.3 per cent plan to decrease headcount in the coming three months.” The region’s strong employment prospects have been refl ected in comments this month from the Hunter Business Chamber.


This was despite gloom over the announcement this month of job shedding at the Kurri Kurri and Tomago aluminium smelters because of weak demand and low prices.


continued page 3 PAGE 14


p21-34 High-energy gator raid PROPERTY p35-37


She’s close to three metres long, she weighs a bundle and she’s mighty, mighty angry. So why are reptile keepers Carla Pound, John Mostyn and Billy Collett giving Big Momma a full-body massage? See page 13.


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