Unemployment rate ticks up to 4.6 pct

* Unemployment rate - 4.6 per cent versus 4.5 per cent in August

* Underemployment rate (employed people seeking additional work) - 9.2 per cent versus 9.3 per cent

* Employment fell 138,000

* Full-time positions rose 26,700

* Part-time employment fell 164,700

* Participation rate (people working or looking for work): 64.5 per cent versus 65.2 per cent

* Monthly hours worked in all jobs rose 0.9 per cent or 15 million hours.

STATE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES:

NSW - 4.6 per cent in September versus 4.8 per cent in August

VIC - 4.8 per cent versus 4.1 per cent

QLD - 4.9 per cent versus 5.4 per cent

SA - 5.1 per cent versus 4.9 per cent

WA - 4.1 per cent versus 4.5 per cent

TAS - 4.8 per cent versus 5.5 per cent

NT - 4.2 per cent versus 3.4 per cent

ACT - 4.1 per cent versus 3.6 per cent

(Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)

Australian Associated Press