Deb Frecklington says Queensland had four consecutive years of the highest unemployment in the nation before the pandemic. Is that correct?

The claim

For years, Queensland’s unemployment rate has been above the national average.

Speaking to ABC Radio in Brisbane earlier this month, on October 6, the state’s Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington took aim at high unemployment, claiming Queensland’s rate had topped all other states and territories for some time.

“When you’ve had four consecutive years of the highest unemployment rate in the nation — and this was before COVID — Queenslanders deserve a government that has an economic plan to drag Queensland out of the recession and get people into jobs,” Ms Frecklington said.

She repeated a similar claim in a media release on October 15:

“Queensland has had the worst unemployment record in Australia for the last four years thanks to…