Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that unemployment in the Hunter Valley, outside Newcastle, jumped from 11.5 per cent in January to 12.4 per cent last month.

That means there are about 16,400 people are out of work in Hunter towns outside Newcastle.

The Mercury reported last month that various state political parties had ideas on how to combat the rising jobless rate in the Hunter, which many have blamed on the effect the mining downturn has had on the local economy.

The state government wants to abolish certain business taxes to encourage small business owners to employ more people.

The Greens want to invest more government money in TAFE and start a program to give councils funding to improve infrastructure by employing and training local people to complete the work.

Labor’s plans include creating construction jobs through infrastructure upgrades, building a convention centre in Honeysuckle, spending $14 million to turn the Hunter into a renewable energy hub and investing $100 million in TAFE.

“On Mike Baird’s watch as Treasurer and Premier, the Hunter unemployment rate has blown out from 5.8 to 12.4 per cent – the highest in the state,” opposition treasurer Michael Daley said. 

“Unemployment in Newcastle has nearly doubled from 4.9 to 8.9 per cent.

“Today there are 16,400 people out of work across the Hunter, up 7000 from a year ago.

“A lot of families in Maitland are hurting.”

February’s unemployment rate is almost double for the same time last year, which was 7.2 per cent.

The most drastic rise in the past year came when unemployment went from 6.5 per cent in December, 2014, to 11.4 per cent in January, 2015.

The national unemployment rate was 6.7 per cent in February, down from 6.8 per cent in January.

Listen here to what the candidates for Maitland have to say