Shadow Treasurer Matt Cowdrey’s Misunderstanding of Unemployment Rate Causes Controversy

Article: In a recent interview on FiveAA, Shadow Treasurer Matt Cowdrey made a perplexing claim about South Australia’s record low unemployment rate of 3.2 percent. Cowdrey attributed this positive outcome to the “time of the year” and the festival season, suggesting that it was merely a temporary blip. However, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has clarified that the data released was already seasonally adjusted, meaning that any calendar-related effects were already accounted for.

This misunderstanding has drawn criticism from Stephen Mullighan, who stated, “This is a shocking clanger from someone who claims to be the state’s next Treasurer.” Mullighan emphasized that even basic economic statistics seem foreign to Cowdrey, the principal economic spokesperson for the Liberal Party. This is not the first time Cowdrey has made fundamental mistakes in his portfolio, as he was previously exposed for not understanding how fees and charges were set annually, despite the information being publicly available.

As the controversy surrounding Cowdrey’s remarks grows, it raises questions about his suitability for such a crucial economic role within the state government. The public will be watching closely to see how the Shadow Treasurer responds to these criticisms and whether he can demonstrate a deeper understanding of economic data in the future.

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