I think before any comparison can be made, the criterias by which the rates 
are arrived at need to be the same otherwise one will be comparing apples 
with some other things.
How many minimum hours per week has one need to be employed before being 
classified as employed?
I know of a country whose calculation of the inflation rate is based on a 
basket of goods all of which are control items which items cannot have 
increases in prices without government approval. That country has extremely 
low inflation rates declared by the government for years. Nobody believes 
them.


"F&C" <none@hottmail.com> wrote in message 
news:4577b14b$0$5749$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/employment-growth-jumps-sharply/2006/12/07/1165081062893.html
>
> Unemployment now at record lows in Australia at 4.6%.
>
> Wonder what it is in those Euro-loser countries??
>
> 9.6% in Germany and recent news reports say that's GOOD news? 8.8% in
> France. Probably some ridiculously high figure in Scandinavia.
>
> SOMEONE explain to me how these Euro-loser countries which are meant to
> have highly educated people can produce such FAILED economies??
>
> Good work to the Americans though, they have a rate of 4.4%. Although it
> is worth mentioning that the minimum wage is twice as high in Australia.
>
> In fact, Australia has perhaps the highest minimum wage in the world,
> WITH extremely low unemployment. How come us uncooth Australians can
> manage our economy, whereas Europe is a failed state??
>
>