More than 1500 new jobs have been created in Sutherland Shire in the past three years as a result of a single state government initiative.
Sylvania and Caringbah received the biggest employment boost from the Jobs Action Plan, followed by Sutherland, Miranda and Menai.
Under the scheme, which began in July 2011, an employer who takes on a new worker in an eligible position and maintains the job for at least two years receives a payroll tax rebate of $5000.
Treasurer Andrew Constance released figures for the ‘‘top five’’ shire suburbs to benefit from the plan
while visiting Caringbah firm Artee Signs with MPs Mark Speakman and Melanie Gibbons, Liberal candidate for Miranda Eleni Petinos and Sutherland Shire mayor Kent Johns.
Mr Constance said 534 jobs were created in Sylvania, consisting of 40 full-time and 494 part-time positions, while Caringbah had an increase of 403 jobs, of which 265 were full-time. Other suburbs to benefit were Sutherland, 284 (168 full-time); Miranda, 107 (19 full-time) and Menai, 97 (15 full-time).
He said businesses in other parts of the shire also provided extra jobs through the payroll tax initiative.
He said the figures did not include employment growth due to other factors.
"We are undertaking a whole range of other [job-boosting] reforms, including workers compensation changes to put downward pressure on the premiums small businesses are paying," he said.
"Across NSW, more than 74,000 new jobs have been created since the Coalition came to office.
"At the same time, we have consistently been below the national average in terms of unemployment.
"This month's CommSec State of the States report ranked NSW as the number one performing economy in Australia.
"Standard & Poor's had also reaffirmed the state's triple-A credit rating and removed NSW from negative watch."
Staff numbers grow thanks to incentive scheme
Curtis Nuttall, 18, works in the vinyl cutting room at Artee Signs, Caringbah, and owes his job to the payroll tax rebate.
Mr Nuttall, who left Lucas Heights Community School while in year 11 to begin work, said he was happy with his decision.
‘‘I like the work and I see a future here,’’ he said.
The firm’s managing director Glenn Evers said the incentive scheme helped his business increase the number of staff from 14 to 25 in four years.
‘‘It makes it worthwhile creating new positions and encourages us to keep them going,’’ he said.
Mr Evers said two jobs that attracted the rebate were filled by young people who had not completed their Higher School Certificate.
‘‘You don’t need a degree here — you need commonsense, a good education and want to work,’’ he said.
Mr Evers said there was a career path for such employees and gave several examples of staff who had started as factory hands or installers and moved into more skilled positions.
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