Sydney - Unemployment in Australia fell to 4.2 per cent in June, government figures released Thursday showed.

The creation of 29,800 jobs, 24,000 of them full time, followed a dip the previous month, the Bureau of Statistics said. In May, when the unemployment rate was 4.3 per cent, 19,700 jobs were lost, the first fall in 19 months.

The surprisingly buoyant job figures, given high interest rates and high fuel prices, stirred worries that the central bank might consider raising interest rates for a 13th consecutive time. (dpa)