The latest edition of the Peoplebank Intermedium Federal Labour Hire Index can be downloaded by clicking here

The third Peoplebank Intermedium Federal ICT Labour Hire Index shows the continuation over 2009 and into 2010 of a long-term downward trend in the Government’s reliance on ICT contractors. Peoplebank observes that, responding to this contraction, ICT contractors are relocating to the booming Sydney and Melbourne markets – with consequences including that the first signs of a looming skills shortage are emerging.

The Labour Hire Index, which measures the average cost of an average unit of labour hire paid by the Federal Government to ICT contractors stood at 1,175 points in December 2009. This was just 15 points below the December 2008 level, but a fall of almost 50 percent against the Index peak of 2,251 points in August 2006.