Australia's unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in August 2026, the highest level since 2021.

What it means

Australia's unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in August 2026, the highest since the COVID-19 pandemic began, up from 4.5% in July. This figure, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, exceeded market expectations and complicates the Reserve Bank's interest rate decisions, as rising unemployment typically pressures the central bank to cut rates to stimulate the economy.

Accuracy & sourcesSourced

The claim is based on the official Labour Force survey from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), a highly reputable primary source. The reporting by ABC News Australia and other outlets accurately reflects the ABS release, with a small month-on-month increase confirmed. The provenance tier ('reports a named primary source') is appropriate; the story sits close to the authoritative data.

How new

Genuinely new: the data covers August 2026 and was published by the ABS on the same day as the reporting, so it reflects current economic conditions.

Go deeper

• ABC News Australia (Top) — first to publish