FIGURE2 The unemployment rate in Australia from September 2014 to September 2024
Unemployment rate
8
7
6
5
4
Trend
Seasonally adjusted
Large month-to-month changes occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in multiple trend breaks. The ABS recommends caution when using trend estimates published in spreadsheets in this release for this period. Information on trend breaks can be found in Labour Force, Australia methodology, September 2024. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force, Australia, September 2024, https://www.abs. gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/sep-2024.
17.2.2
The importance of work in our community
Since ancient times, people have worked hard to do things like hunt for food, gather berries and plant seeds. When we hear ‘labour’, we often think of ‘work’. Work is when people do tasks to earn money, using both their minds and bodies. Supporting the community When you work, you join the labour force, which
FIGURE3 Aged care workers have a clearly deýned role because they help an important group of people in our society.
means you earn money and connect with people who share your interests. Being part of this community helps you feel good about yourself and gives you a sense of belonging. 17.2.3 Why do people work? Even rich people work because there are many beneýts to having a job, not just money. Earning an income The main reason we work is to earn money, called a wage or salary. When someone works, they are employed. To live, we need money. Many workers try to balance work and free time, which is called work–life balance .
TOPIC17 Working for a living 591
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