Work to do on jobless rate: Abetz

An unemployment rate starting with a six means the government has more work to do, says federal Employment Minister Eric Abetz.

The jobless rate for August was 6.1 per cent, down from a 12-year high of 6.4 per cent in July.

"The unemployment figures continue to bounce around for Australia," Senator Abetz told reporters in Melbourne after the August figure was released on Thursday.

"We saw quite a jump last month and, of course, today's figures go the other way.

"But whilst you still have a six in front of the unemployment figure, we as a government know that we need to do a lot as a nation to drive that figure down."

Senator Abetz said the government would have preferred an earlier repeal of the carbon and mining taxes, but these had now passed through the Senate.

Work was ongoing to "reduce red and green tape", he said, and the government had signed free trade agreements with Japan and South Korea.

"All of these factors will help grow employment in Australia, but there is still a long way to go," Senator Abetz said.

Changes to the way the Australian Bureau of Statistics collects the data may be a factor in recent sharp movements in the jobless rate.