The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed that the unemployment rate for the Hunter, outside Newcastle, was 12.8 per cent in March.

This was a slight rise from 12.4 per cent in February and 11.5 per cent in January.

But the state’s jobless rate dropped from 6.2 per cent to 6 per cent from February to March.

The Hunter’s unemployment rate for March was the highest in regional NSW.

The next highest jobless rate was recorded in Richmond-Tweed at 9.7 per cent.

Federal Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon said unemployment in the Hunter had been as high as 13.5 per cent and as low as 3.5 per cent during his 19 years in Parliament.

He said employment figures in the Hunter followed the highs and lows of the mining industry.

“The mining industry not only employs many people directly, but many people indirectly, including in the manufacturing sector,” he said.

“That’s what people don’t often understand when they are critical of the presence of mining in the valley.”

Mr Fitzgibbon said it was important that the region continued to develop strong manufacturing, service, tourism, agriculture and viticulture sectors.

“It’s about economic diversity,” he said.

“We have lots of it, but we can never have too much.”

State opposition spokesperson for regional development David Harris said unemployment was rising across many parts of regional NSW.

He said the unemployment rate in the Hunter was about double that of when the Coalition formed government in 2011.

“While the Premier [Mike Baird] talks up his economic prowess, key regions of our state such as the Hunter, Richmond-Tweed, the Southern Highlands and Kiama-South Coast are being left behind,” Mr Harris said.

“The unemployment rate in the Hunter has blown out to 12.8 per cent on Mike Baird’s watch – more than double what the Coalition inherited.

“The Baird government has no plan to create regional jobs.

“To any family living in regional NSW, the Premier’s economic boasts look pretty out of touch.”

Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian said last week that 26,000 new jobs had been created in NSW in March.

She said this accounted for almost 70 per cent of jobs created across Australia last month.