The figures aren't in their favour but Queensland's government says it's committed to cutting the state's jobless rate to four per cent.
Treasurer Tim Nicholls handed down the state's mid-year fiscal and economic review on Thursday, which projected a 5.75 per cent year average unemployment rate in original terms in 2015/16.
Latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that in November Queensland's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was the highest in the nation - tied with Tasmania - at 6.9 per cent.
The numbers suggest it will be hard for the Liberal National Party (LNP) to realise their 2012 election promise of bringing the state's unemployment rate to four per cent in six years.
Mr Nicholls insists that figure remains the government's goal, saying Queensland was "the best place to be" if you want a job.
"Every day, we get up to focus on that target of a four per cent unemployment rate over six years," Mr Nicholls told reporters.
"Nothing has changed, nothing has wavered in our commitment to do that."
Queensland's public sector union Together says the four per cent unemployment target is attainable, but not under current government strategy.
"Unemployment has escalated significantly under this government, and what they're recognising today, but not talking about, is things are going to get worse next year," Together secretary Alex Scott said.
A softening of the world economy and falling coal prices are being blamed by Mr Nicholls for the state's jobless rate.
Those factors are also affecting budget forecasts, he said, with the government writing down revenue by almost $971 million this financial year.
However, Mr Nicholls said the government still promised a surplus in 2015-16, albeit reduced to $331 million from the $862 million forecast in June.
"All in all, today's report is sobering reading," Mr Nicholls said.
"It does reflect the fact that we are in challenging economic times."
Mr Nicholls said if it wasn't for the government's Strong Choices plan - the controversial decision to long-term lease some public assets - the state's books would be in a far worse position.
Shadow Treasurer Curtis Pitt said Mr Nicholls was making excuses when it was his mismanagement which was to blame for the budget "trainwreck".
"Queensland's economy has tanked yet the man steering the ship wants to blame everyone else, Mr Pitt said.
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