Qld's unemployment rate falls to 5.6%

Unemployment figures have painted a flattering picture for Queensland but economists warn against reading too far into the data.

The unemployment rate plunged 0.8 percentage points in February, with Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures recording a drop from 6.4 per cent in January to 5.6 per cent.

However, the trend unemployment rate remained steady at 5.9 per cent, slightly above the national average of 5.8 per cent.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament on Thursday it was great news for Queensland.

"This testifies today everything that my government is committed to - driving jobs in this state," she said.

Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the ABS had acknowledged Queensland had the strongest trend employment growth in relative terms in the country.

"We are working hard each and every day, not sacking Queenslanders like those opposite did," Mr Pitt said, referencing the Newman government's controversial mass public servant sackings.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland spokesman Nick Behrens believed the data unquestionably illustrated the transition away from a reliance on the resources sector.

He cited three key driving factors: low interest rates, the low Australian dollar, and lower fuel prices.

"Service industries really are pulling their weight as the resources sector is in decline," Mr Behrens said.

But he expressed reservations about the accuracy of seasonally-adjusted data in the wake of ABS funding cuts in 2011, after which state-based unemployment rates had been "jumping around like a yoyo."

Mr Behrens highlighted a longer-term improvement in the trend rate for Queensland, which was at 6.6 per cent one year ago.

AMP Capital Investors chief economist Dr Shane Oliver also cast doubt on the seasonally-adjusted data.

"There are reasons why the unemployment rate should be falling in Queensland, it's just that I don't believe its fallen by 0.8 per cent in a month," he said.

Dr Oliver also cited interest rates and the lower Australian dollar, which encouraged jobs growth in tourism and education, among possible driving factors.

He said Queensland, like WA, had a range of "conflicting forces" due to the impact of the end of the mining boom.

"You really need to see another month of numbers to see whether it's sustained and in the meantime you're better off focusing on the trend measure."

Shadow Treasurer John-Paul Langbroek said the ABS data showed how volatile Queensland's job market currently was, pointing out that seasonally adjusted figures also showed a drop in total employment.

"While we welcome any fall in unemployment, it should also be noted 5800 jobs were lost last month on the seasonally-adjusted measure, he said.