The resilience of the jobs market continues to beat expectations and keep pressure on the Reserve Bank to lift interest rates even further.

The official labour force data showed the unemployment rate hanging on at 3.5 per cent in June, after the May result was revised down.

Economists were expecting to see another show of strength in the jobs market but few predicted the unemployment rate sinking lower than the pre-update May result of 3.6 per cent.

Roughly 32,600 people found work in June, which was also above economists' expectations.

"With employment increasing by around 33,000 people and the number of unemployed decreasing by 11,000 people, the unemployment rate remained at 3.5 per cent," Australian Bureau of Statistics head of labour statistics Bjorn Jarvis said.

The participation rate actually edged lower, to 66.8 per cent, but the 0.1 percentage point slip was down from last month's record high.

"The rise in employment in June saw the employment-to-population ratio remain at a record high 64.5 per cent, reflecting a tight labour market in which employment has recently increased in line with population growth," Mr Jarvis said.

An additional one million people are now employed than before the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, and a much bigger share of the population had a job.

Monthly hours worked grew by 0.3 per cent to outpace the 0.2 per cent rise in employment over the month.

"The strength in hours worked since late 2022, relative to employment growth, shows the demand for labour is continuing to be met, to some extent, by people working more hours," Mr Jarvis said.

Every state and territory except South Australia recorded a jobless rate below four per cent, with NSW notching an ultra-low 2.9 per cent unemployment rate for June.

Oxford Economics Australia head of macroeconomic forecasting Sean Langcake said labour market indicators were in a "very strong place".

"The employment-to-population ratio is historically high, while unemployment and underemployment are at, or near historic lows," he said.

Mr Langcake said the results were "unambiguously good" but the strength of the labour market would continue to keep upward pressure on wages and inflation.

The results will add to the case for further interest rate increases by the Reserve Bank, which is watching labour data carefully for signs its tightening is working to slow economic activity.

"The RBA is not in a position where it can tolerate any upside surprises to the inflation outlook, and we expect to see two more rate hikes in the coming months," Mr Langcake said.

The unemployment rate is anticipated to drift up in the coming months as higher interest rates weigh on spending and activity, lessening the need for workers.

The upcoming quarterly inflation report, due next week, will factor more prominently in the next cash rate decision.

The RBA board will be gunning for a substantial softening in the consumer price index to counter the robust jobs read.

The index rose seven per cent in the 12 months to March, well above the two to three per cent range targeted by the central bank.

© AAP 2023

One in three Australians will seek out sustainable travel options when they holiday over the next year and almost one in five say they will travel less or not at all if they cannot find one.

The findings, from a study of more than 1000 adults by the Travel Corporation, also found environmental concerns would impact the choice of holiday destination for two in five Australians.

The research comes amid growing efforts to reduce carbon emissions from air travel and after the federal government established the Jet Zero Council to provide advice on a sustainable aviation industry.

The research, conducted by Pureprofile, found environmental, community and wildlife concerns were high on the minds of Australian travellers and had grown since 2021.

The Travel Corporation managing director Toni Ambler, who represents brands including Contiki, Trafalgar and Insight Vacations, said COVID-19 travel restrictions had raised awareness about the impact tourists had on some parts of the world.

"The pandemic, as bad as it was for the travel industry, it's probably made a lot of people who weren't thinking about it more aware of the impacts people have on places they're visiting," she said.

"There were all those images of the waters clean in Venice and the lack of fumes around the world."

The travel survey found 40 per cent of Australians had changed their view of sustainable travel over the past five years and 33 per cent planned to seek sustainable options on their next holiday.

Their concerns were so great, the survey found, that 34 per cent of Australians would swap overseas with local travel if they could not identify sustainable options and 19 per cent would travel less or not at all.

Sustainable travel options did not just involve lower travel emissions, Ms Ambler said, but could also involve reducing food waste, eliminating single-use plastics, supporting developing regions, and ethical wildlife experiences.

The research also revealed most Australians expected environmentally friendly options to cost more but Ms Ambler said The Travel Corporation used a carbon fund to offset charges.

"There's a big correlation between people wanting to travel in a sustainable way and make good choices but at the same time being very aware sometimes sustainable choices come at a premium," she said.

Australian airlines Qantas and Virgin have made commitments to cut emissions from domestic and long-haul flights in recent months, with both agreeing to meet the aviation industry standard of net-zero emissions by 2050 through the use of offsets and biofuels.

The federal government also announced in June the establishment of a Jet Zero Council to advise the government on the use of sustainable aviation fuel and other ways to reduce pollution from the sector.

© AAP 2023

More people are being forced to use buy now pay later services to pay for basics such as food and petrol, as the cost of living and inflation continue to rise.

A new survey of financial counsellors found more than 80 per cent said clients were using buy now pay later for general retail.

However, the survey conducted by Financial Counselling Australia said many in the industry were increasingly worried about how people were using the services for everyday items.

Of the more than 500 financial counsellors who completed the survey, 71 per cent said clients were using buy now pay later for food, while 41 per cent said they were using it for petrol.

Findings also revealed almost one-third said clients were using the services for utility bills, while 93 per cent said more clients were using buy now pay later in general.

Financial Counselling Australia chief executive Fiona Guthrie said she was concerned with the findings.

"BNPL was never intended as a way to pay for everyday living expenses," she said.

"But the ease of accessing BNPL loans, combined with mounting cost-of-living pressures, has meant more people are resorting to it just to get by."

The findings of the survey follow regulations unveiled by the federal government in May, which aim to protect high-risk borrowers.

Under the changes, buy now pay later providers would need a credit licence, in line with other lending services. They also must follow minimum standards and hardship requirements.

Services would be treated like other credit products and would also be subjected to marketing restrictions.

The federal government is still holding consultations with the industry about the detail of the laws.

Ms Guthrie said income verification and credit checks needed to be carried out, with larger loans also being subjected to responsible lending obligations.

"With BNPL so hard to keep track of, debts can very easily snowball, leading far more people to seek financial counselling," she said.

© AAP 2023

Australia have been left to rue several missed chances to push home their case for a drought-breaking Ashes series win in England, after going to stumps at 8-299 on day one of the fourth Test.

On a day in which Stuart Broad became the fifth man in history to take 600 Test wickets, Australia let England off the hook time and time again at Old Trafford.

Seven batters got starts but none went on to post a big score after the tourists were sent in, with Mitch Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne both out for 51.

Travis Head became Broad's 600th victim when he was caught hooking on 48, Steve Smith was lbw to Mark Wood on 41 and David Warner caught behind for 32.

Alex Carey was also caught behind late in the day, on 20, becoming the fourth man to fall to Chris Woakes when he nicked a ball he was trying to leave.

The wickets give England the chance to take control of the penultimate Test of the series on Thursday. A draw would be enough for Australia to retain the Ashes and a win would ensure their first series victory in the country in 22 years.

"Where we were, and how many guys got themselves in, we would be slightly disappointed with no one getting a big score," Labuschagne said.

"But the statistics are really skewed in England to first-innings scores above 300.

"The wicket is a little bit two-paced. It's quite slow. It's not like some wickets I have played here (which are) are quite quick on day one."

Labuschagne will walk away the most frustrated, after a series of teasing starts for him.

The Queenslander showed the kind of patience and determination he is renowned for on Wednesday, at one stage going 19 balls without scoring a run late in his innings.

But after he brought up his first half-century of the tour by pulling Woakes, Labuschagne was lbw on his next ball, missing a regulation Moeen Ali off break.

"I was probably a little bit lazy on that, tried to turn it to the leg side," Labuschagne said.

"But it was the process that I was happy with.

"I was happy with my decision-making, which has been the part that's really been frustrating me from a personal side."

Warner will also be annoyed with himself.

Under pressure to retain his spot, the 36-year-old cut the first ball of the match from his nemesis Broad for four and looked in good touch in the opening hour.

But after getting through Broad's opening spell and scoring at a fast rate through his innings, he was caught behind trying to drive outside off from Woakes.

Smith also looked on for a big score in his innings when he showed intent against Moeen, hitting the spinner back down the ground for six before becoming Wood's only victim.

Australia's partnerships told the story of the day, with stands of 15, 46, 59, 63, six, 65, one and 45.

Marsh was arguably the unluckiest, caught one-handed by Jonny Bairstow as the England wicketkeeper fell to his right to take the nick off Woakes (4-52).

Such has been Bairstow's woes in this series, the 33-year-old appeared not to quite believe the ball had stayed in his glove as he sat up after taking the catch.

"It's hard to judge a pitch here until both teams bowl and bat on it," Broad said.

"But the sun was out for a bit so it felt we did really well to get eight wickets today."

© AAP 2023