Australia's unemployment rate rose to a lower-than-expected seasonally adjusted 5.8% in June from 5.7% in May, its highest reading since October 2003. The number of employed fell 21,400, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said.
Economists on average had expected an unemployment rate of 5.9% in June, with the number of employed down 25,000.
The number of people in full-time work fell 21,900 to 7.61 million in June, from 7.63 million in May, while the number of people in part-time work rose 400 to 3.15 million.
The bureau said its seasonally adjusted workforce participation rate, or the proportion of working-age persons at work or actively seeking work, fell to 65.3% in June from 65.4% in May.