Statistically Speaking

All your questions answered

2010-05-27T14:28:00.004+10:00

The ABS has recenly released a series of FAQs on a range of topics. The FAQs are designed to assist you to find the information and statistics you're looking for.

Check out the FAQs page on the ABS website, for answers to these questions, and many more:

Q. What is meant by Balance of Payments?

Q. How is the Consumer Price Index (CPI) used?

Q. Where can I find the population for my region?

Q. What information does the ABS collect on Families & Communities?

Q. How do I search the ABS website?

Q. How can the ABS help me?

Regional Data Easier to Find

2010-05-04T13:51:00.011+10:00

Did you know that the Local Government Area of Cue in Western Australia has the highest proportion of motor vehicles over ten years old (74%)? Or that Victor Harbor in SA and Queenscliffe in Victoria have the greatest proportion of people aged over 65 (32%) but very different average incomes?

These and other data for regions can be found in the latest edition of the ABS National Regional Profile (NRP), released on 29 April.

The NRP contains data 'snapshots' for over 2,000 regions across Australia, with five years of data (2004-2008) where it is available. The profiles contain a range of data from the ABS and other sources, for geographic areas such as Statistical Local Areas and Local Government Areas right up to state/territory and Australia. The data is presented for all years on common boundaries, making it easy to compare data over time.

This new issue of the NRP contains more data, and a new look designed to make it easy to find a regions(s) of interest. This can be all accessed directly from the ABS Home page.

The NRP contains:

Estimates of unemployment
Taxation statistics
Selected Government pensions and allowances
Estimates of personal income
Wage and salary earners
Estimates of household wealth
Counts of businesses, including entries and exits
Estimated Resident Population
Population density
Indigenous Estimated Resident Population
Various 2006 Census data (e.g. occupation, qualifications)
Births and Deaths
Building Approvals
Motor Vehicle Census
Value of agricultural production
Agricultural commodities
Land area
Water Use on Australian Farms

A new, easy to use entry point

There is now a new entry point to find a region of interest. This uses an interactive Google map and region list. A range of updated 'help' material is also available, including short video demonstrations.

Find the NRP

The NRP entry page can be accessed directly via the following link:
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/nrpmaps.nsf/NEW+GmapPages/national+regional+profile

Demonstration videos can be found at:
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/webpages/Videos+and+other+help+2004-2008

Australia's Health Check - Obesity remains a concern

2010-04-19T07:41:00.006+10:00

The National Health Survey: Summary of Results; Australia 2007- 08 (Reissue) (cat.no 4364.0) provides a general snapshot of the health of Australians every three years.

Information is collected about long-term medical conditions, lifestyle factors, consultations with health professionals and other actions such as medication use. Some of the key health risk factors are obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking.

Overweight and Obesity
More adult Australians were overweight or obese in 2007-08 compared with 1995. Using the Body Mass Index (BMI) approach, the ABS found that 68% of adult men and 55% of adult women were overweight or obese in 2007-08. This is an increase over 12 years as only 64% of men and 49% of women were overweight or obese in 1995.

Alcohol consumption
Approximately 68% of men and 51% of women consumed alcohol in the week prior to the 2007-08 National Health Survey. Most of these adults (79%) consumed alcohol at a level that poses a low health risk.

Smoking
One in five adults (20%) were current smokers in 2007-08 which was down from 23% in 2004-05. More men than women were current smokers (22% and 18% respectively).

Further details are in National Health Survey: Summary of Results; Australia 2007- 08 (Reissue) (cat. no 4364.0).

Results for states and the ACT are available in National Health Survey: Summary of Results; State tables, 2007-08 (Reissue) (cat. no 4362.0).

Framework for Measuring Wellbeing: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

2010-03-12T09:23:00.003+11:00

The social, cultural and economic environment that a person lives in has a dramatic impact on their quality of life. These factors contribute to overall wellbeing, both of individuals and the communities of which they are a member. No single measure of wellbeing can evaluate an individual's progress over their lifetime or a community's progress over time. Rather, a range of measures can be used to map changes in health and living conditions over time.

The publication, Framework for Measuring Wellbeing: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2010 (cat.no 4703.0) describes a framework developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in conjunction with stakeholders, to measure the wellbeing of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The framework attempts to provide a holistic approach to the mapping of statistics about the wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. It is presented as a broad level document, balanced across selected themes or 'domains' including:

Culture, Heritage and Leisure
Family, Kinship and Community
HealthEducation
Learning and SkillsCustomary
Voluntary and Paid Work
Income and Economic Resources
Housing, Infrastructure and Services
Law and Justice
Citizenship and Governance

Underemployed workers

2010-02-24T14:36:00.001+11:00

The number of underemployed workers are an important component of underutilised labour resources in the economy.

Underemployed workers are defined as:

part-time workers who want, and are available for, more hours of work than they currently have, and
full-time workers who worked part-time hours during the reference week for economic reasons (such as being stood down or insufficient work being available).

Underemployed Workers, Australia, Sep 2009 (cat.no 6265.0) presents information about the characteristics of underemployed workers aged 15 years and over. A range of information is presented including the number of hours usually worked, number of preferred hours, steps taken to find work with more hours and difficulties finding work with more hours.

For time series information on the number of underemployed workers, users are advised to use the quarterly Labour Force Survey estimates. Trend and seasonally adjusted and original estimates are released monthly in Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), tables 19 to 20.

Have your say. What do you want from Census products?

2010-01-27T14:25:00.005+11:00

The ABS is currently reviewing the way we deliver Census data, in preparation for developing products for 2011 Census output. It is very important to us to hear your experiences of using Census products, so that we can refine and improve the way we deliver Census data in the future.

We're looking for comments and suggestions from users about their experience of:

CData Online
Quick Stats
MapStats
Census Tables
Community Profiles
Data Packs
TableBuilder

If you'd like to provide feedback please take a few minutes to answer some questions by clicking on the attached link. Feedback closes on 1st February, at 11:30am.

Are you looking to develop your statistical skills in 2010?

2010-01-20T14:11:00.006+11:00

Statistics are collected on most aspects of Australian life. They capture vital information about our economic performance, the well-being of our population and the condition of our environment.

In order to make sound judgements, it is essential that you are equipped with the knowledge and skills to understand, interpret and evaluate statistical information for research, planning and decision-making purposes.

The ABS provides a range of training courses to develop your statistical skills and to help you make the best use of ABS information. These training courses can assist you to develop your ability to understand statistical concepts; analyse and interpret data; design and develop survey questionnaires; and develop an understanding of labour, demographic and environmental statistics.

ABS training courses offered in 2010, include:

To find out more see the ABS training webpage, or contact ABS Training in your State or Territory.

More Australians Living Alone

2009-12-14T12:59:00.004+11:00

The December edition of Australian Social Trends found that more Australians are living alone.

The article reports that over the last couple of decades, the proportion of the population aged 15 years and over living alone (in private dwellings) increased from 9% to 12%, and over the next 20 years is projected to increase to 16% (3.1 million). This overall long-term increase in the prevalence of living alone is in part due to the ageing of the population, but also to the increasing propensity of younger and middle aged people to live alone.

This edition also provides statistical analysis and commentary on a wide range of current social issues including: Jobless families; Living alone; Smoking, risky drinking and obesity; Preschool attendance; Patterns in work and International comparisons.

Summary tables on 'Family and Community' and 'Work' and 'Housing' are also included which provide an overview of social change over the past decade, as well as how social conditions differ across Australian states and territories.

Making sense of statistics

2009-12-03T08:08:00.006+11:00

The ABS has recently released a suite of 'Understanding Statistics' webpages on the ABS website.

These webpages consist of a range of fact sheets, information guides, video tutorials, presentations and online courses to help you:

find the statistics you're looking for
analyse, interpret and evaluate statistical information
communicate statistical findings with tables and graphs

Check out the Introduction to Statistics Online Course for a comprehensive overview of statistics. Or have a look at our Online Video Tutorials and Presentations to find out more about specific topics of interest. ABS also offers face to face Training Courses on a range of topics to develop skills for high quality statistical collections and statistical analysis.

So, if you're looking to build your knowledge about statistics, and how to use statistics to make informed decisions, check out the resources available for Understanding Statistics.

Are we getting better at recycling and catching public transport?

2009-11-30T12:09:00.006+11:00

The release of Environmental Issues: Waste Management and Transport Use, Mar 2009 (cat.no 4602.0.55.002), revealed some interesting statistics on recycling and the use of public transport.

Almost every Australian household (99%) participated in some form of recycling or reusing of waste, and just over half (51%) of Australian households recycled or reused kitchen or food waste.

And when it comes to public transport, we're getting better, but still have a long way to go. Australians increased their use of public transport to get to work or full-time study over the past decade, rising from 12% in 2000 to 14% in 2009. However, the overwhelming majority of Australians still travelled by car -- 80% in March 2009 compared to 82% in 2000.

Further information can be found in Environmental Issues: Waste Management and Transport Use (cat. no. 4602.0.55.002).

A new record for births

2009-11-12T09:47:00.004+11:00

Australia has again set a new record for the number of births in a year, with a total of 296,600 births registered in 2008, surpassing the previous record years of 2007 (285,200 births) and 1971 (276,400).

Overall, Australia had a total fertility rate of 1.97 babies per woman, up from 1.92 in 2007 and the highest since 1977 (2.01).

More details are available in Births, Australia, 2008 (cat. no. 3301.0), which includes: detailed statistics on live births: male and female births; births of Indigenous children; age and birthplace of parents; duration of marriage; previous children; nuptial and exnuptial births; single and multiple births; usual residence of mother (by state or territory); and regional comparisons.

Other related information can be found in:

Australian Demographic Statistics (cat. no 3101.0)
Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories (cat. no 3201.0)
Population Projections, Australia (cat. no 3222.0)
Experimental Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (cat. no 3238.0)
Family Characteristics and Transitions, Australia (cat.no. 4442.0)
Child Care, Australia (cat. no. 4402.0)
Pregnancy and Employment Transitions, Australia (cat. no. 4913.0)

Good Sports!

2009-10-30T10:47:00.002+11:00

Participation in organised sporting activities is important for children’s social development as well as their motor coordination skills, teamwork and physical fitness.

In recent years, increasing awareness of the incidence of childhood obesity has particularly highlighted the desirability, on health grounds, for children to participate in regular physical activity.

The Research Paper: Children's Participation in Organised Sporting Activity, October 2009 (cat. no 1351.0.55.028) combines data from three surveys on Children’s Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities, April 2009 (cat. no 4901.0) – conducted in 2000, 2003 and 2006 – to examine children’s participation in organised sporting activities.

The paper examines average rates of participation for children between the ages of six and fourteen years, and identifies a number of sociodemographic factors which influence the propensity for particular groups of children to participate.

Until Death do us Part?

2009-09-28T10:34:00.004+10:00

Marriages are on the rise! But not all Australian couples live happily ever after…

Marriages and Divorces, Australia 2008 (cat. no. 3310.0) is an electronic product from the ABS which comprises of national and state data reporting on the number of marriages and divorces that were granted in Australia during 2008.

Not only does this data highlight the number of Aussies tying the knot, it can also tell you how old couples were when they took the plunge; how many times they had walked down the aisle prior to their marriage in 2008; and even the type of celebrant they chose to perform their wedding ceremony!

And as we all know, not all relationships are built to last, so a range of data is also available on those marriages that didn’t work out…

If you would like to know how many couples were divorced in 2008; or how long people were married for prior to formal separation, then you may have found what you are looking for…

This is a valuable resource for any one interested in Australian marriage trends, or for those wishing to conduct an analysis on the family formation and structure in Australia.

Census Data - Enhanced!

2009-09-07T07:12:00.004+10:00

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has recently embarked on the Census Data Enhancement Project which aims to increase the value of data collected from the Census of Population and Housing by developing a Statistical Longitudinal Census Dataset (SLCD).

The SLCD will draw on records taken from a random sample of persons (5%) during the 2006 Census and will combine this information with 2011, and subsequent Census records. As time goes by and more and more Census data becomes available, the SLCD will become a valuable resource for anyone interested in longitudinal population studies.

The SLCD will provide the means to analyse patterns in the pathways people and families take over time. Insights might also be gained into the relationship between peoples' social and economic situation over their life, and their health outcomes, or the educational and economic outcomes of their children as they in turn grow to be adults.

But how might the SLCD work? What linking methodologies and processes might be used to combine Census data? How reliable will this data be?

In order to answer these questions and more, the ABS conducted a quality study that simulated the formation of the SLCD. Results of this simulation are outlined in two research papers which you can access here by clicking on the links below.

A Linkage Method for the Formation of the Statistical Longitudinal Census Dataset, August 2009 (cat. no. 1351.0.55.025) outlines the methods and processes that were used in simulating the formation of the Statistical Longitudinal Census Dataset and discusses the issues that arose during this process.
Assessing the Likely Quality of the Statistical Longitudinal Census Dataset, August 2009 (cat. no. 1351.0.55.026) predicts the quality that can be expected when the first two waves of the SLCD are eventually linked.

Who is caring for our kids?

2009-08-21T08:14:00.005+10:00

If you have ever wondered how many of Australia’s children receive formal or informal child care, or you are curious about what this care might cost, then look no further! The answers you seek are just one click away...

‘Childhood Education and Care, Australia’ 2008 (cat. no 4402.0) provides information on the various forms of child care available within Australia. The publication includes estimates on the types of child care being accessed by Australian children between the ages of 0-12 including: the hours they attend; the costs involved; the use of child care benefits; and parental employment and income characteristics.

Also included in this publication for the first time ever are estimates on early childhood education and learning, such as: patterns of attendance at pre-school and school; the types of learning activities that children aged 0-8 participate in; and the environments in which these activities take place.

This is a valuable resource for anyone interested in finding out more about the demand and supply of child care services within Australia. It may also help shed light on some of the issues facing modern day Australian parents.

Included below are some related ABS publications which may also be of interest to you...
· Household and Family Projections, Australia, 1996-2021 (cat. no. 3236.0)
· Children Australia: A Social Report, 2002 (cat. no. 4119.0)
· Family Characteristics and Transitions, Australia. June 2006-07. (cat. no. 4442.0)

Up in smoke

2009-08-05T09:50:00.004+10:00

Most people are aware of the detrimental effects that smoking can have on the health and well-being of an individual, but did you know that tobacco smoking is a particularly important issue for Australia’s Indigenous community?

To find out more check out Tobacco Smoking in the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Population 2004-05 (cat. no 4724.0.55.002). This flyer is an excellent resource for those wanting to know more about the prevalence of tobacco smoking amongst Indigenous Australian adults aged 18 years and over, and is an excellent way of finding out how this group are fairing in relation to the non-Indigenous population.

The flyer also includes some useful information on other risk factors associated with tobacco smoking including risky drinking and poor diet.

This is a quick and easy read packed full of information.

Australian Colonial Census Statistics Online

2009-07-10T13:56:00.005+10:00

The Historical Census and Colonial Data Archive (HCCDA) website is now available.

HCCDA is a searchable archive of Australian Colonial census publications and reports.

The archive has sourced microfiche versions of the census publications from the ABS and converted them to both digital images and searchable XML markup.

The HCCDA archive documents were originally published in the former colonies of NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia and relate to censuses of those colonies ranging from 1833 to 1901.

HCCDA is a sub-archive of the Australian Social Science Data Archive (ASSDA).
The ABS Historical Publications page lists recently digitised ABS publications.

Year Book Australia 2010

2009-07-10T11:59:00.004+10:00

Year Book Australia (cat. no. 1301.0) has changed from an annual frequency to 2 yearly frequency.

The next issue is due to be published mid-2010.

Search inside Year Books with Google
Google Book Search now includes Year Book Australia issues.
For example, a search for 'education statistics Australia 1930' will take you directly to the Year Book page listing school statistics for 1930.

All Year Book Australia issues from the first 1908 edition (coverage from 1901) onwards are available full-text online via the ABS website.

State & Regional Homelessness

2009-07-09T16:44:00.003+10:00

State and territory Counting the Homeless 2006 reports were released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) today. Based on 2006 Census data, the reports provide statistics about homelessness at a regional level.

They include discussion of characteristics of people experiencing homelessness and provide extensive analyses of their circumstances, drawn from experience of people working with the homeless.

The national Counting the Homeless 2006 report was published by the ABS last September:
Australian Census Analytic Program: Counting the Homeless, 2006 (cat. no. 2050.0).

Census Tablebuilder

2009-07-07T14:57:00.004+10:00

Bigger ... Faster ... Better ...

The much anticipated TableBuilder (cat. no 2065.0) is scheduled for release between August and September 2009.

TableBuilder is an online tool which will allow you to create your own custom tables of 2006 Census data.

TableBuilder is designed to provide clients with the highest degree of freedom in selecting and combining data items and the geographical areas most suited to their needs. It allows you to choose to count persons, families or dwellings, to select the variables to include in your table, and how to structure the data.

You can access data for areas as small as a Collection District (approximately 225 households) or as large as an entire state or territory or all of Australia. TableBuilder also allows you the freedom to select and combine areas and data that interest you by creating your own customised geographic areas or custom data groups.

Now is your chance to pre-register for TableBuilder. For only $1655, TableBuilder provides you with unprecedented access to 2006 Census data and enables you to build all the tables you require.
For more information, including FAQs and list of TableBuilder variables, visit the Tablebuilder page on the ABS website.

Health Literacy

2009-07-03T11:28:00.003+10:00

Australian Social Trends (cat. no. 4102.0) presents statistical analysis and commentary on a wide range of current social issues.

The June issue includes a feature article on Health Literacy which uses data from the 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALLS) (cat. no 4228.0). ALLS provides information on the knowledge and skills of 15-74 year olds in a number of literacy domains including health literacy. The articles presents information and analysis of health literacy levels, self assessed health status and the interactions between health and education, income and employment status.

This issue also includes features articles about transitions in people's living arrangements, how they work and student achievements in maths and science.

Counting the Population

2009-06-15T13:55:00.006+10:00

The recently released, Population Estimates: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2009 (cat. no 3228.0.55.001) provides a description of the concepts, sources and methods used by the ABS in the production of population estimates.

This publication is a great resource if you're interested in finding out more about:

the range of population estimates produced by the ABS
some of the major uses for these population estimates
the methods and data used to produce population estimates at the national/state and statistical local area (SLA) levels
the method used to produce population estimates for customised geography
components of population growth and of selected sub-populations
the data sources used to produce population estimates

For additional information on population concepts, see Information Paper: Population Concepts, 2008 (cat. no. 3107.0.55.006).

Focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics

2009-06-02T07:30:00.004+10:00

The theme for National Reconciliation Week in 2009 is ‘See the person, not the stereotype’.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples live in all parts of Australia, from the large cities to small country towns and very remote communities. They speak a multitude of languages and belong to hundreds of distinct descent groups.

The ABS has produced a number of snapshot articles about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including:

National Reconciliation Week takes place between 27th May and 3rd June with Reconciliation events held across Australia each day. For more information check out the Reconciliation Australia website.

Residential and Workplace Mobility, and Implications for Travel

2009-05-21T15:40:00.008+10:00

Over the three years to October 2008, around 2.7 million people in New South Wales and Victoria moved usual residence.

Data has now been released from the Residential and Workplace Mobility, and Implications for Travel survey, which was conducted in October 2008 (cat. no. 3240.0).

The publication provides a range of information on people in NSW and Victoria including:

demographic characteristics of movers and non-movers;
the reasons why people changed their usual residence;
the reasons why people changed their current suburb of employment;
and the modes of transport typically used to travel to the current suburb of employment.

Other Australian Bureau of Statistic (ABS) resources relating to the topic include:

Another interesting resource: The NSW Ministry of Transport's Journey to Work 2006 publication provides information to assist those using the Transport Data Centre's 2006 Journey to Work dataset. This data is derived from place of work and other employment information collected in the ABS's Census of Population and Housing.

Helping you evaluate data quality

2009-05-13T17:07:00.008+10:00

If you're interested in evaluating the quality of statistical collections and products (eg. survey data or statistical tables) then check out the recently released ABS Data Quality Framework (cat. no 1520.0).

The Framework can assist user's to:

decide whether a dataset or statistical product is fit for purpose
assess the data quality of seemingly similar collections
interpret data

It can also assist those developing statistical collections to produce high quality outputs.

The Framework provides a multidimensional approach for assessing the quality of statistics, incorporating: Relevance, Timeliness, Accuracy, Coherence, Interpretability, Accessibility and Institutional Environment.

For each dimension, the paper describes what constitutes the dimension, how it may be evaluated, and suggests questions to be considered for the purpose of assessing the dimension. The paper also includes information to assist data users and producers to apply the framework.

Are you statistically literate?

2009-05-11T16:22:00.008+10:00

If you are uncomfortable with using statistics, you are not alone. Many people shy away from using statistics because of their perceived complexity.

However, statistics are highly prevalent in our information-rich society and can influence our daily lives via media reporting and social and economic policy decisions. It is therefore necessary to develop the ability to critically interpret and evaluate statistics to make informed decisions about the information that surrounds us.

A new article: What is statistical literacy and why is it important to be statistically literate? is featured in the recent issue of Tasmanian State and Regional Indicators, Mar 2009 (cat. no. 1307.6).

The article provides an overview of what it means to be statistically literate, and why it is so important. The article also provides a set of criteria that are essential for building statistical literacy, including:

1. Data awareness

2. The ability to understand statistical concepts

3. The ability to analyse, interpret and evaluate statistical information

4. The ability to communicate statistical information and understandings

Find out what it takes to be statistically literate today.

CDATA Online nominated for two awards

2009-05-06T11:01:00.005+10:00

The ABS' CDATA Online tool which allows you to create your own tables of Census data has now been nominated for two prestigious awards.

CDATA Online has been announced as a finalist for the 2009 Excellence in e-Government Award (e-Award) which was introduced in 2006 by the Australian Government to promote excellence in the use of ICT in Australia at all levels of government. The 2009 e-Award will be presented to coincide with the eGovernment Forum being held on Wednesday, 13 May 2009.

CDATA Online has also been nominated for the ESRI GIS Challenge, an award that is decided by public votes, with voting open until the end of May 2009. If you have found the innovative elements of CDATA Online helpful, then please feel free to vote for CDATA Online at the ESRI GIS Challenge website.

New G-20 Statistical Website

2009-05-04T08:46:00.004+10:00

The Inter-Agency Group on Economic and Financial Statistics has launched a new website 'Principal Global Indicators' covering economic and financial data for the Group of 20 economies.

The website was launched in response to the ongoing global financial crisis to assist with monitoring and evaluating the economic and financial developments of the G-20 economies.

The website is a useful resource for locating data on the financial, governmental, external, and real sectors of G-20 economies. Market indicators including Consumer prices; Unemployment rates; and Interest rates are also provided.

The website also provides links to data in related websites of international and national agencies. For Australia, the website links to statistical information from the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

Women in Australia 2009

2009-04-30T10:34:00.002+10:00

Women in Australia 2009 provides a statistical summary of women’s economic outcomes, education and training, health, housing and leadership.

Produced by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), this issue is the fifth in the series.

It includes a wide range of summary data on gender differences relating to labour force participation, hours worked, gender pay gaps; mental health, alchohol consumption, smoking, homelessness and more.

How can the ABS assist Local Government?

2009-04-21T11:36:00.004+10:00

The Services for Local Government page on the ABS website provides the Local Government sector with information about how to use ABS data to assist with planning and delivering services to communities.

It includes information on how to find data for Local Government Areas, as well as at the State and Territory level. There is also a range of other services available to assist the Local Government sector that are outlined on the ABS website.

Subscribe to Local Government and ABS Newsletter
If you're interested in finding out more about ABS developments in rural and regional statistics, and information about recent releases at Local Government level or other regional levels, subscribe to the Newsletter - Local Government and ABS (cat. no 1376.0).

OECD Factbook Out Now!

2009-04-15T10:01:00.018+10:00

The OECD Factbook provides a comprehensive overview of economic, social and environmental indicators.

The Factbook covers a range of topics including: economy, agriculture, education, energy, environment, foreign aid, health and quality of life, industry, information and communications, population/labour force, trade and investment, taxation, public expenditure and R&D. This edition also includes a focus chapter on Inequality.

Each indicator includes a detailed summay, corresponding data and comments on the comparability of the data.

The is a useful reference tool for everyone working on economic and policy issues. It is now available free online on the OECD website.

Your opportunity to help shape the future of the ABS website

2009-04-09T15:48:00.006+10:00

ABS Betaworks has arrived!

ABS βetaWorks is a development environment for new designs and concepts for the ABS website. βetaworks allows ABS Designers to showcase what they're working on and find out what you think.

By playing with the concepts and providing feedback, you can help the ABS to prioritise and refine concepts.

Share Your Ideas
How would you improve the ABS website?
Using your insights and ideas, the ABS can continue to improve the ABS website experience for all.

SEIFA

2009-04-01T12:00:00.007+11:00

What is SEIFA?

Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) is a product developed especially for those interested in the assessment of the welfare of Australian communities.

The ABS has developed four indexes to allow ranking of regions, providing a method of determining the level of social and economic well-being in each region.

The four indexes in SEIFA 2006 are:

Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage
Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage
Index of Economic Resources
Index of Education and Occupation

What can SEIFA be used for?

SEIFA has a number of applications, including research into the relationship between socio-economic status and various health and educational outcomes. It can also be used to determine areas that require funding and services, or to identify new business opportunities.

Want to find out more?

To find out more about SEIFA check out Information Paper: An Introduction to Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2006 (cat.no 2039.0)

How do we measure Social Capital?

2009-03-27T16:00:00.004+11:00

Developing measures of social capital across individuals and communities has attracted a large amount of attention and policy interest. However, this is a difficult task.

A new Research Paper: Exploring Measures of Low Social Capital, March 2009 (cat. no. 1351.0.55.024) looks at issues relating to measuring social capital and the latest Australian General Social Survey.

The 2006 General Social Survey (GSS) (cat. no. 4159.0) provides an important opportunity to explore a range of measures of social capital and see how they are related to each other.
The GSS includes data on:

trust and feelings of safety
whether a person feels able to have a say on important issues, both with family and friends, and within the community
the frequency of contact with family and friends
the proportion of a person's friends who are of a similar age, of the same ethnic background, or of roughly the same level of education

The Social Capital theme page provides further information about social capital data in ABS publications. The recent release Sport and social capital (cat. no. 4197.0) examines the relationship between social wellbeing indicators and participation in sport and physical recreation.

No offence meant

2009-03-27T15:10:00.004+11:00

Are you living a living a life of crime without knowing it?
The 2008 Australian Standard Offence Classification (ASOC) reveals there are many interesting possibilities to make yourself a criminal.

No Offence Meant in the latest issue of Stats Talk WA (cat. no. 1304.5) looks at the myriad ways it is possible to break the law.

What is ASOC?
The Australian Standard Offence Classification (ASOC) (cat. no. 1234.0) provides a uniform national statistical framework for classifying criminal behaviour in the production and analysis of crime and justice statistics.

it is used in ABS statistical collections, and Australian police, criminal courts and corrective services agencies.
ASOC provides a systematic ordering of criminal offences defined in the criminal laws of the Australian state and territory jurisdictions.

Social Trends 2009

2009-03-27T14:36:00.002+11:00

Australian Social Trends: articles and key statistics across all areas of social concern

The ABS publication Australian Social Trends (AST) (cat. no. 4102.0) is now being released 4 times a year. An annual edition of AST has been released since 1994. From 2009, AST will be produced quarterly with an annual compilation released in the September quarter of each year.

Latest March release includes:
The ageing population, retirement and superannuation
Households and renewable energy
Mental health
Couples
Trends in household work

Key Statistics summary tables
Find summary statistics at a state or national level for population, family, health, education, work, housing, and more.

The 2009 compilation issue of AST will be available in print format, September 2009. AST quarterly issues are available online only.

Museums and Art Galleries

2009-03-27T12:59:00.005+11:00

The performance, structure and activity of museums and art galleries is explored in today's release of Museums, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 8560.0).

The publication includes data on the number and main focus of museums, employment, volunteers, income and expenses, with breakdowns of key characteristics by employment size and by state. The publications also includes information on admissions, acquisitions, artefacts, artworks, special exhibitions and other museum/gallery activity.

The Service Industries Statistics Theme Page provides information about a range of service industry publications, including:

Australian Industry (cat. no. 8155.0)
Not-for-profit Organisations, Australia (cat. no. 8106.0)
Selected Characteristics of Australian Business (cat. no. 8167.0)
Television, Film and Video Production, Australia (cat. no. 8679.0)

Students, Teachers and Schools

2009-03-20T15:06:00.004+11:00

Are you interested in finding out more about the:

number of primary, secondary and combined schools
number of Indigenous school students enrolled in Year 12
full-time equivalent student/teaching staff ratios

The recently released publication, Schools, Australia 2008 (4221.0) contains statistics on schools, students and teaching staff for all Australian states and territories.

Also included are derived measures of student participation, continuation, progression (new in 2008) and retention, and ratios of students to teachers. Many of the statistical tables also include selected time series.

NatStats 08 Video Presentations Now Available

2009-03-11T12:07:00.006+11:00

You can now view the video presentations and accompanying slides from the range of speakers who attended the NatStats 08 conference on the NatStats website.

The NatStats 08 conference was held in Melbourne on 19 - 21 November, 2008. The range of speakers and participants who attended the conference ensured the event was a success, and that discussion was relevant and buoyant.

Speakers included representatives from overseas organisations, senior staff from government departments from across all jurisdictions, as well as experts from the community and leading academics. The presentations focused on topics related to three main themes: Informing the Nation; Measuring the Progress of Society; and Environmental Information for Informed Decisions.

Finding Regional Data

2009-03-03T08:09:00.012+11:00

Are you interested in the characteristics of regions and comparing regions across Australia?

The National Regional Profile (NRP) presents, for all Australia, a range of data for various types of small regions. The data items are presented in web pages, spreadsheets and SuperTABLE datacubes and are available for regions as large as Australia or as small as Local Government Area or Statistical Local Areas.

A set of four National Regional Profile Videos have been produced to introduce you to the National Regional Profile Welcome Page, show you how to find regions and data, and explain what other help is available for the NRP.

You may also be interested in What's New in Regional Statistics (cat. no. 1386.0), a biannual newsletter providing information on the latest developments in statistics that are relevant to regions as well as other information of interest to researchers, policy makers and other users of small area data.

Crime and Justice data

2009-02-27T07:23:00.004+11:00

Are people over 45 more or less likely to be charged with speeding than those under 25?
How many juvenile offenders were finalised in the Children's court?
What percentage of defendants adjudicated were proven guilty?

Find out in the recently released, Criminal Courts, Australia, 2007- 08 (cat. no. 4513.0).

This publication provides nationally comparable data showing the number of defendants dealt with by the Higher (Supreme and Intermediate), Magistrates' and Children's criminal courts. The statistics provide a profile of the characteristics of defendants, as well as data about the offences for which they have been charged, their guilt or innocence, and sentence outcomes for those proven guilty.

See the Crime and Justice theme page for more ABS and non-ABS crime and justice data and information.

Upcoming Release of Census TableBuilder

2009-02-17T08:05:00.000+11:00

Development of Census TableBuilder (cat. no. 2065.0) is well underway and the new product is expected to be released later this financial year.

Census TableBuilder is an online tool which will allow you to create your own tables of Census data by accessing all variables contained in the Census Output Record File. The product is designed to provide clients with the highest degree of freedom in selecting and combining data items and the geographical areas most suited to their needs.

To find out more, visit the Census TableBuilder product brief on the website which has been recently updated to include new information on what Census TableBuilder will provide and to answer some common questions about the product.

Australian Cultural Diversity: Religion

2009-02-13T08:39:00.004+11:00

'Religion across the generations' is explored in the new release: A Picture of the Nation: the Statistician's Report on the 2006 Census, 2006 (cat. no. 2070.0). This article examines the religious profile of each generation in Australia and discusses the differences between, as well as within, 5 generation groups.

A Picture of the Nation provides a detailed insight into contemporary Australian society and the factors affecting the lives of Australian people. One of the key themes in the report are the trends taking place in relation to cultural diversity. The report highlights some of the interesting findings in this area and provides an overview of how the 2006 Census measured cultural background.

The Migrant and Ethnicity theme page provides more information about the statistics produced relating to the characteristics of migrants, their descendants and their communities.

Talking about the generations

2009-02-10T08:12:00.006+11:00

Oldest generation most likely to live alone
Lucky generation retire gradually
Baby boomers share breadwinning role
Generation X and Y the most highly qualified
iGeneration live up to their name

Find out more in the feature article 'From generation to generation' in A Picture of the Nation: the Statistician's Report on the 2006 Census, 2006 (cat. no. 2070.0).

This article takes a generational view of the population and uses it as a framework to analyse census data in order to better understand the changes that have occurred and continue to occur in Australian society.

Five generation cohorts are identified in the article with a definition of each generation provided as well as a description of their social and economic history and current characteristics. The article reveals how understanding the differences between the generations can help us to understand the changes that have occurred and continue to occur in Australian society.

Among other things, the article looks at the differences between the 'Living arrangements and relationship in household' and the 'Labour Force Status' of the different generations.

Other articles throughout the report also take a generational view to provide a more in-depth analysis of various aspects of the life experience of these generations.

Bringing data to life in the classroom

2009-02-06T07:22:00.008+11:00

Keeping up to date with ABS resources relevant to teachers and students has never been easier.

Yesterday's release of Education News, Feb 2009 (cat. no. 1330.0) highlights the latest curriculum related teaching resources, student activities and statistical tools developed by the ABS.

The newsletter includes practical and fun ideas for introducing statistics into the classroom. These activities draw on real-life data from ABS surveys as well as CensusAtSchool data to provide meaningful learning experiences to students.

Free Teacher Training
This edition of the newsletter also includes information about the upcoming Teacher Professional Development Days around Australia. These workshops provide free computer based training in navigating the ABS website, using ABS data in the classroom and discovering resources developed especially for teachers.

For more information about bringing data to life in the classroom see the Education Services webpages.

The Australian Economy

2009-02-02T11:27:00.003+11:00

If you're interested or involved in researching or analysing the Australian economy, this monthly compendium is a great place to start!

Australian Economic Indicators (cat. no. 1350.0), presents a statistical summary of the Australian economy, together with international comparisons of selected economic indicators.

The publication includes commentaries, articles and technical notes on a range of topics including: national accounts, international accounts, consumption and investment, production, prices, labour force and demography, incomes and labour costs, financial markets, state comparisons and international comparisons.

A Picture of the Nation

2009-01-29T15:04:00.004+11:00

Are you interested in finding out more about the trends affecting the lives of Australians?

A Picture of the Nation: the Statistician's Report on the 2006 Census, 2006 (cat. no. 2070.0) presents and analyses statistical information collected in the 2006 Census of Population and Housing.

Drawing on the rich variety of topics covered by the Census and looking across different geographic areas and population groups, this report provides an in-depth analysis of population census data on a range of different topics.

The report consists of eight chapters, each focusing on different areas of social interest and concern. Each chapter includes an overview, summary tables and two or three feature articles related to the following topics:

population
cultural diversity
community
living arrangements
education
work
economic resources
housing

The report complements the extensive range of other Census products already available free from the ABS website, including: QuickStats, Census Tables, Community Profiles, MapStats, CData Online.

Producing national estimates from State Health Surveys

2009-01-27T16:41:00.003+11:00

A recent ABS project which pooled data from state and territory health surveys in order to create national estimates, is detailed in the Information Paper: Producing national estimates from State Health Surveys, 2004 (cat. no. 4375.0.55.001) that was released today.

The paper discusses how a systematic approach to the pooling of state health survey data can have considerable benefits for the provision of additional sources of national health data.

The paper provides a range of information, including:

methods used to pool the data
data quality investigations that were undertaken
experimental national estimates of several chronic disease risk factors produced from the pooled national dataset
a brief summary of current state health survey methodology
a description of potential benefits of a harmonised national surveillance system
an overview of the technical, methodological and practical issues that need to be addressed in pooling data from multiple surveys (whether in health or other topics).

Celebrating Australia: A Statistical Perspective

2009-01-23T13:02:00.009+11:00

A range of ABS publications present analysis and commentary on a wide range of contemporary social issues affecting Australia and Australians. These publications draw together data from a range of different ABS collections to assist and encourage informed decision-making, stimulate public debate and to be of value to a wide audience.

Australian Social Trends (cat. no. 4102.0) draws on a wide range of ABS statistics, and statistics from other official sources to describe aspects of Australian society, and how these are changing over time.

Measures of Australia's Progress (cat. no. 1383.0.55.001) provides a national summary of the most important areas of progress and presents these in a way which can be quickly understood.

Australian Economic Indicators (cat. no 1350.0) is a monthly compendium of economic statistics, presenting comprehensive tables, graphs, commentaries, feature articles and technical notes providing a broad basis for analysis and research on the Australian economy.

Accessing Migrant Data Made Easy

2009-01-20T10:02:00.005+11:00

Are you looking for an easy way to access data on migrants from a range of ABS products?

Then the second edition of the Migrant Data Matrices (cat. no 3415.0), released yesterday, is for you.

The matrices enable you to obtain detailed information on migrants, simply by clicking on a topic of interest and then selecting from a range of data cubes on that topic.

Topics in the matrices include: Population Characteristics, Labour, Family and Community, Health, Education and Training, Housing, Personal and Household Finances, Culture and Leisure and Crime and Justice.

The ABS products included in the Migrant Data Matrices will change over time as more survey data are released or become available.

An overview of the labour market

2009-01-16T14:53:00.004+11:00

Today's release of Australian Labour Market Statistics (cat. no. 6105.0) draws together labour statistics from a range of ABS household and business surveys, to provide an overall picture of the labour market.

The publication is useful for understanding and raising awareness about the different labour market data available and how to use it more effectively.

Check out this publication if you're interested in:

recent and upcoming labour market related releases
labour market summary: the key measures
the range of data available from the ABS labour statistics program
feature articles, both analytical and technical, that can assist users in understanding and interpreting the data.

Housing Finance

2009-01-15T15:45:00.003+11:00

Has the number of owner occupied housing committments increased or decreased?
What is the total value of owner occupied and investment housing committments?
What number of owner occupied dwellings were financed by banks and non-banks?

Find out in the latest release of Housing Finance, Australia, Nov 2008 (cat. no. 5609.0).

This publication provides monthly statistics relating to housing finance commitments. The data contained in this publication is useful to policy and decision makers for understanding the relationship between housing finance and investment levels, interest rates, building activity and employment.

Other related ABS publications which may be of interest are:

Lending Finance, Australia (cat. no. 5671.0) - issued monthly
Assets and Liabilities of Australian Securitisers (cat. no. 5232.0.55.001) - issued quarterly
Buildings Approvals, Australia (cat. no. 8731.0) - issued monthly
Dwelling Unit Commencements, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 8750.0) - issued quarterly

Household Use of Information Technology

2009-01-12T09:51:00.004+11:00

Are you interested in statistics on household access to computers and the internet?

The recently released publication of Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no 8146.0), presents a summary of results compiled from household use of information technology (HUIT), including commentary on major trends in internet and broadband access and use across Australia. The release also presents selected results from the 2006 Time Use Survey (TUS), including the extent of teleworking in Australia and average minutes per day Australian's spend using the internet.

The publication shows that between 1998 to 2007-08, household access to the Internet at home has more than quadrupled from 16% to 67%, while access to computers has increased by 31 percentage points to 75%.

Tourism Statistics

2009-01-07T09:38:00.008+11:00

The publication, Tourist Accommodation, Australia, September 2008 (cat no. 8635.0), was released yesterday, January 6, 2009. The publication contains results from the on-going quarterly Survey of Tourist Accommodation and provides an overview of the Australian tourist accommodation industry. The publication is a useful reference for policy makers and industry monitors and advisers.

The recently released ABS Tourism Newsletter, Nov 2008 (cat. no 8602.0) provides an overview of recent tourism industry related issues and updates; describes current ABS work related to tourism statistics; and informs users about recent and forthcoming ABS publications.

This issue of the newsletter also contains a feature article titled 'OECD International Standards and Concepts - What is Tourism?' that provides a brief definition of tourism, based on international OECD standards for tourism concepts. This article provides an elucidation of what is, and is not, being counted in ABS tourism statistics.

The ABS produces a range of tourism related statistics, which can be accessed via the ABS tourism theme page on the ABS website.

Crime and Safety in NSW

2009-01-06T10:51:00.003+11:00

The publication Crime and Safety, New South Wales, April 2008 (cat. no. 4509.0) was released on December 4.

The publication contains summary details on household break-ins, attempted break-ins, motor vehicle thefts, personal robberies and assaults and some data on sexual assaults, for the 12 months prior to the survey. It also contains information as to whether the last incident was reported to the police, and details of people's perceptions of crime problems in their neighbourhood.

A range of information can also be found in Crime and Justice News, 2008 an annual newsletter produced by the National Centre for Crime and Justice Statistics (NCCJS) at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The newsletter provides information on current and upcoming projects, snapshot data from recent publications, and information about current issues in the crime and justice sector.

Further crime and justice statistics and other related information can be found in the following publications:

1234.0 - Australian Standard Offence Classification (ASOC); 2008 (Second Edition)
4512.0 - Corrective Services, Australia; June Quarter 2008
4528.0 - Personal Fraud, Australia; 2007
4510.0 - Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia; 2007
4513.0 - Criminal Courts, Australia; 2006-2007
4517.0 - Prisoners in Australia; 2007
4906.0 - Personal Safety, Australia; 2005
4509.0 - Crime and Safety, Australia; 2005

New Creative Commons licensing for ABS data

2008-12-23T11:09:00.005+11:00

The ABS has introduced Creative Commons (CC) licensing for the bulk of the content on the ABS website.

This will lessen the restrictions on the use of free data from the website by changing the copyright from "all rights reserved" to "some rights reserved". In effect, what the ABS is asking is only that it be acknowledged as the source of the data.

People are now free to re-use, build upon and distribute ABS data, even commercially. This makes a wealth of data readily available to the community, researchers and business, facilitating innovative research and development projects based on quality statistics.

For more information see the ABS page on Creative Commons licensing.

Statistical Declaration - Working Together for an Informed Australia in the 21st Century

2008-12-23T10:34:00.008+11:00

In November 2008 around 460 delegates from the statistical community across Australia met for the first time at the NatStats08 conference in Melbourne.

NatStats conference participants drafted a Statistical Declaration to guide the development of a national statistics strategy for Australia in the 21st century.

The NatStats conference discussed three main themes related to statistics: Informing the Nation; Measuring the Progress of Society; and Environmental Information for Informed Decisions. Speaker presentations from the conference will be available on the NatStats website shortly.

The NatStats conference was hosted by the National Statistical Service (NSS). The NSS is a community of government agencies building a rich statistical picture for a better informed Australia. It aims to develop and improve a statistical system that ensures providers and users of statistics have the confidence to trust the statistics produced within it.

International Day of People with Disability

2008-12-03T15:46:00.013+11:00

On December 3 each year, the International Day of People with Disability is celebrated worldwide recognising the achievements and contributions of people with disability. The day aims to increase awareness of the benefits of the integration of people with disability in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

The 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (cat. no. 4430.0) provides a range of information on people with a disability including disability status, main condition, assistance needed/received, use of aids, use of public transport and employment restrictions.

People with a Need for Assistance - A Snapshot, 2006 (cat. no. 4445.0) examines the age, sex, indigenous status, state/ territory, remoteness index, living arrangements, proficiency in English, labour force participation and occupation of people with a need for assistance.

The 2006 Census of Population and Housing includes questions for the first time that measure the characteristics of people with a profound or severe disability. CDATA Online allows users to create tables combining data relating to people with a core need for assistance with a range of other variables, for a variety of geographic areas.

Other resources relating to People with a disability can be found in:

How Australians Use Their Time, 2006 (cat. no. 4153.0) - which presents selected results from the 2006 Time Use Survey.
Patterns of Internet Access in Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 8146.0.55.001).
General Social Survey, 2006 (cat. no. 4159.0) - which includes data on access to services, feelings of safety, transport, and more.
Australian Social Trends, 2008 (cat. no. 4102.0) also includes an article on 'People with a Need for Assistance'.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare biennial publication ‘Australia’s Welfare’ contains an overview chapter on disability, bringing together information from a range of sources, including disability service provider data.

Energy Use & Conservation in Australian Households

2008-12-01T18:09:00.003+11:00

What proportion of the population are using energy saving lights?
How many households have a computer?
For how many months of the year are people using coolers?
How important is energy star rating compared with price or brand when people purchase white goods?

Find out in the new issue: Environmental Issues: energy use and conservation (cat. no. 4602.0.55.001).

Household energy use and conservation data is collected every three years. This latest survey was conducted in March 2008. Previous data were published in 2005, 2002, 1999 and 1994 and available in Environmental Issues: People's Views and Practices (cat. no. 4602.0).

New data items for 2008 include type and number of televisions and solar hot water system or solar panels used to generate electricity. Existing data items have been modified in the 2008 survey to provide more detailed information on lighting, energy sources and household appliances.

Mental Health & Homelessness

2008-11-27T17:47:00.008+11:00

The recently released National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 2007 (cat. no. 4326.0) includes information on a selection of life experiences and mental health, including homelessness. Data is available for people who reported ever being homeless, and type of mental disorder experienced, such as anxiety disorders or substance use disorders.

Homelessness statistics for the Australian population can be found in the Australian Census Analytic Program publication: Counting the Homeless, 2006 (cat. no. 2050.0), released in September 2008.

This publication includes data from the 2006 Census complemented by data from other surveys of youth homelessness and users of support services. It also provides information on the change in the size and composition of the homeless population over time, and draws on earlier research using 1996 and 2001 Census data.

Data relating to homelessness and indigenous people can be found in The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2008 (cat. no. 4704.0).

The Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW) released the 9th issue of Mental Health Services in Australia, 2004-05 in August 2008, which includes information on Mental Health-related Supported Accommodation Assistance Program Services (chapter 9); and the bulletin Homeless SAAP clients with mental health and substance use problems 2004-05 in 2007.

CDATA Online FAQs

2008-11-25T15:21:00.008+11:00

If you are accessing CDATA Online to create and customise tables, maps and graphs you can now check Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) online for assistance using this product.

Sport & Physical Activity

2008-11-24T21:04:00.004+11:00

Is playing computer games a sport?
Does golf provide fitness benefits?
When is dancing a sport rather than a form of artistic expression?

A new Information Paper: Defining Sport and Physical Activity, A Conceptual Model (cat. no. 4149.0.55.001) looks a range of issues, key concepts, and definitions relating to survey research on sport and physical activity.

Check the Culture and Recreation theme pages to find the latest sporting and physical activity statistics.

National Accounts & AWE historical data now online

2008-11-24T20:03:00.003+11:00

All ABS publications from 1994 onwards are available online. Recently the ABS added earlier issues to the ABS website for:

Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product (cat. no. 5206.0) - now available from Mar 1972 onwards
Average Weekly Earnings, Australia (cat. no. 6302.0) - now available from 1983 onwards, with issues back to 1969 coming soon

Access earlier issues via the 'Past & Future Releases' tab in the above publications.

1991 and 1986 Census publications have also been recently added to the website, with 1981 Census publications currently in the process of being digitised.

CDATA Online seminars

2008-11-20T20:12:00.009+11:00

CDATA Online allows you to create and customise your own tables, maps and graphs using 2006 Census data. This product is available free online via the ABS website. Further description is available in the CDATA Online Product Brief.

Free introductory seminars on CDATA Online are available in some capital cities and regional areas. Check the ABS Training Calendar for upcoming scheduled sessions, or contact training@abs.gov.au for further information.

Housing: mirror and mould for Australian society?

2008-11-20T19:40:00.005+11:00

The third in a series of essays from the Academy of the Social Sciences based on data from the 2006 Census: Andrew Beer's paper Housing: mirror and mould for Australian society looks at recent housing trends, including affordability, house size, and stay-at-home children.

Other papers in the Census Series include:

Creative Australia: The Arts and Culture in Australian Work and Leisure

Lives of Diversity: Indigenous Australia

These papers were released today as part of the NatStats08 Conference in Melbourne. Further papers will be released progressively from March 2009.

Sport in Australia

2008-10-24T15:18:00.008+11:00

Australian sport issues and sporting programs are now featured in a new publication: Perspectives on Sport (cat. no. 4156.0.55.001).

The first issue includes articles on:

What motivates Australians to participate in sport?

Involvement in Organised Sport as a Coach, Instructor, Referee or Umpire

Sports and Physical Recreation Volunteers

Find further sport-related data in the October 2008 edition of Sports and Physical Recreation: a Statistical Overview (cat. no. 4156.0)

Mental Health & Wellbeing

2008-10-23T15:27:00.005+11:00

One in five Australians aged 16–85 years had a mental disorder in 2007, according to figures released today in the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 2007 (cat. no.4326.0).

This survey provides information on the prevalence of mental disorders by three major disorder groups:

Anxiety disorders (eg Social Phobia)
Affective disorders (eg Depression)
Substance Use disorders (eg Alcohol Harmful Use)

It also provides information on :

level of impairment
health services used for mental health problems
physical conditions
social networks and caregiving
demographic and socio-economic characteristics

Respondents were asked about experiences throughout their lifetime.

The survey is based on an international survey instrument developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for use by participants in the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Therefore, it has been designed to provide data that are internationally comparable, rather than to provide comparisons with the previous 1997 ABS Mental Health and Wellbeing survey.

CDATA Online

2008-10-15T10:47:00.005+11:00

A new way of accessing and customising 2006 Census data will be released on 27 October 2008.
2006 CDATA Online will allow you to create your own tables of Census data on a range of different topics such as - age, education, housing, income, transport, religion, ethnicity, occupation and more. All Census geographies will be available, from a single Collection District to an entire State/Territory or total Australia.

You will even be able to make your own custom areas and view your Census data in tables, graphs and maps. CDATA 2006 is more powerful than ever before because the data used to construct your table is the same data used to create outputs inside the ABS. The CDATA Online Product Brief provides a full description of this product which will be available free online.

Marriage in Australia

2008-10-03T15:54:00.007+10:00

2007 saw the highest number of marriages registered in a single year since 1990. The crude marriage rate (marriages per 1000 population) has however, decreased in the last 20 years from 7.1 in 1988 to 5.5 in 2007.

People are getting married at an older age, with the median age for first time marriage being 29.6 for males and 27.6 for females. This is in comparison to 26.1 years and 24.0 years back in 1989.

Civil celebrants were the preferred officiators throughout 2007, with 63% of couples choosing this service over marriages conducted by a Religious Minister.

Couples who lived together prior to marriage grew to 76.8%, and March was the most popular month to marry. To find out more, see Marriages, Australia 2007 (cat. no. 3306.0.55.001).

Homepage Changes

2008-09-29T15:18:00.006+10:00

The latest changes to the ABS homepage have now been released. These changes follow current web trends in design and aim to provide greater accessibility and more relevance to our customers and key clients. Modifications include:

a new "Spotlight on" section, drawing attention to high profile and current issues
the Australian Population clock now on the homepage
an ongoing display of the 5 most recent "Media Releases"

For more detailed information see the page website changes explained.

More Historical Data now available online

2008-09-17T17:23:00.004+10:00

Publications from the 1991 Census are now available online.

These can be located from the 'Downloads' tab of the publication Census of Population and Housing, 1991 (cat. no. 2101.0).
Publications from the 1986 Census will be soon also be available from the ABS website.

Other historical data now online includes Labour Statistics publications back to 1912.
Available via the Past & Future Releases tab of the publication Labour Statistics, Australia (cat. no. 6101.0): several related titles have been grouped together, including the Labour Report, and Labour and Industrial Branch Report. These past publications include historical data on employment, prices, wages and more.

Data from the 1988-89 Household Expenditure Survey has also recently been made available online (see cat. no.'s 6530.0, 6535.0, 6537.0, 6527.0).

These historical (past) issues have been scanned from the original paper versions utilising character recognition software, which enables full-text searching capability within the stored .pdf.

Innovation in Australian Business

2008-08-26T14:49:00.002+10:00

Over one-third of Australian businesses were reported as undertaking some form of innovation according to Innovation in Australian Business, 2006-07. This release presents information about the incidence of innovation in Australian business and related practices or influences. It reports data as collected by the 2006-07 Business Characteristics Survey (BCS).

Some other key findings from the publication include:

The Information Media and Telecommunications industry had the highest proportion of innovation activity
Information technology skills were the most prevalent skill type used for innovation purposes.
More than three-quarters of innovative-active businesses claimed that the most common driver of innovation was profit-related.
Over 25% of businesses claimed that a lack of skilled staff significantly hampered their ability to innovate.

Further information is available in the publication Innovation in Australian Business, 2006-07 cat. no. 8158.0.

Free Workshops for Teacher Librarians

2008-08-20T20:08:00.004+10:00

The ABS provides a wealth of free educational resources that are invaluable for teachers and students. To help Teacher Librarians understand what is available and how to access it, the ABS is holding free hands-on information sessions, tailored especially for Teacher Librarians.

Check the ABS Training Calendar pages for details of workshop sessions in your State or Territory.

Water and the Murray-Darling Basin

2008-08-19T14:35:00.010+10:00

Just over half of Australia's water use in 2004-05 was from the Murray-Darling Basin, according to Water and the Murray-Darling Basin - A Statistical Profile, 2000-01 to 2005-06 (cat. no. 4610.0.55.007).

This publication presents a range of water, social, environmental and economic statistics relating to the Murray-Darling Basin, including:

climate
water availability
water consumption
agricultural production
population
employment
social characteristics
natural resource management

People with a Need for Assistance

2008-08-15T12:19:00.002+10:00

A new snapshot looking at People with a Need for Assistance has been released this month. Disability affects about one in five Australians to varying degrees and in various ways. This can range from someone who has a mild hearing impairment that is overcome by the use of a hearing aid, to a person who cannot wash or dress without help.

In 2006, the Census of Population and Housing included questions for the first time on people with disabilities at the more severe end of this spectrum, that is those who need assistance with self-care, communication or mobility activities.

People with a Need for Assistance - A Snapshot, 2006 (cat. no. 4445.0) examines the age, sex, indigenous status, state/ territory, remoteness index, living arrangements, proficiency in English, labour force participation and occupation of people with a need for assistance. It also contains a brief assessment of the comparability of the data with the core-activity limitation data from the 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (cat. no. 4430.0).

International comparison tables

2008-08-13T18:51:00.002+10:00

The 2008 issue of Australian Social Trends (cat. no. 4102.0) contains international summary tables for a range of areas, from literacy to life expectancy.

Australia is compared with major OECD countries, our closest neighbours, and our trading partners in regard to population, employment, education and other areas.

Australian Social Trends, 2008 also includes summary tables at a national and state level for key areas of social concern, including housing, work and family. These tables bring together data from a variety of different sources to provide an overview of social change over the last decade.

Dental Health

2008-08-08T17:26:00.003+10:00

Data from the National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-06 has been released by the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW) this week. National Survey of Oral Health publications have been released for each State and Territory.

These provide a detailed snapshot of oral health including:

levels of oral disease
perceived oral health and patterns of dental treatment
dental insurance
government assistance for dental care

The AIHW also released a summary report on the Oral Health of Adult Public Dental Patients utilising data from the oral health survey.

Visits to the dentist
The ABS National Health Survey 2004-05 (cat. no. 4364.0) contains data relating to the number, age and characteristics of people who had consulted a dentist in the two weeks prior to the survey.

How many dentists in your area?
Check the 2006 Census tables to find out how many dentists live in your city or local area. Select the Census topic 'Occupation' then select the option 'Occupation by Sex - 2006 ANZSCO Alternative View: Health Occupations'.

Dental labour force
For a summary of data relating to Dental Practitioners from the 2006 Census of Population & Housing see the ABS snapshot Selected Health Occupations, Australia 2006 (cat. no. 4819.0).

Find further data on the characteristics of the Dental Labour Force in a series of reports also released by AIHW this week. Data in the reports is from the 2005 National dental labour force survey.

Government Funding for Libraries

2008-08-08T17:05:00.005+10:00

The latest release of Cultural Funding by Government, Australia 2006-07 (cat. no. 4183.0) includes data on library funding by government.

It includes comparison of funding levels for 2005-06 and 2006-07. Expenditure by local governments on libraries is provided separately for the first time in this issue. Previously only a total local government figure was provided.

Accessing ABS Information - free seminars

2008-08-08T16:16:00.003+10:00

Free seminars on Accessing ABS Information will be held:

Adelaide:
24 September 2008, 9.30 to 11 a.m.
13 November 2008, 9.30 to 11 a.m.

Perth:
26 August 2008, 9.30 to 11.30 a.m.
23 September 2008, 9.30 to 11.30 a.m.
20 October 2008, 9.30 to 11.30 a.m.
26 November 2008, 9.30 to 11.30 a.m.

For further information and reservations please get in touch with the ABS Training Contact for Adelaide or Perth.

Sessions scheduled for Canberra and Sydney in August 2008 are currently full, but contact us if you would like to be notified of upcoming sessions in these cities, or other areas.
Check the ABS Training Calendar for further information on free Census sessions in Melbourne and more.

Historical Population Statistics

2008-08-05T21:23:00.002+10:00

Find historical data online for Australian population size and growth, indigenous population, deaths, divorces, migration and more in the newly updated Australian Historical Population Statistics (cat. no. 3105.0.65.001).

This publication contains a wide range of demographic data in spreadsheet format (Microsoft Excel), going back, where possible, to the beginning of European settlement (1788) of Australia.

The 2008 update of Australian Historical Population Statistics will be released in two stages due to the availablity of new data relevant to this publication shortly after its initial release.

The first release, on 5 August 2008, includes statistics on population size and growth, population age-sex structure, births, deaths, migration, country of birth, overseas arrivals and depatures, marriages, divorces and population by marital status.
The second release, scheduled for September 2008, will include statistics on population distribution and the Indigenous population.

The ABS sees this as an evolving product, with new data sets being added in response to the need and the availability of data in electronic form. Comments on this product would be appreciated: email demography@abs.gov.au

National Data Network (NDN) closed

2008-07-30T13:23:00.002+10:00

The National Data Network (NDN) has recently undergone a review process. Most of the development to date has been done in demonstration/pilot mode. As a result of the reviews the ABS has decided to bring the pilot phase to a close and cease further development on the network. This includes the Children and Youth Statistical Portal.

The vision of accessing and sharing of data is still very alive and the ABS will be focusing on expansion of the National Statistical Service (NSS). There are now other initiatives being pursued that have some similar objectives to those of the NDN.

The ABS will continue to develop strategies for 'whole of government' information sharing. For further information, see the NDN webpage.

Child Care

2008-07-29T18:05:00.009+10:00

Data from the 2006 Australian Government Census of Child Care Services is now available from the Office of Early Childhood Education.

Conducted regularly since 1986, the Child Care Census examines information about child care users, staff and carers and operational details of child care services.

Data on unpaid childcare is available from the ABS 2006 Census of Population and Housing. Access via the Census Tables (select topic 'Childcare'). Further statistics relating to child care can be found in the ABS publication Child Care, Australia 2005 (cat. no. 4402.0).

Risk Taking by Young People

2008-07-29T17:40:00.004+10:00

Data on a range of risky behaviours by young people aged 15-24 years can be found in the latest edition of Australian Social Trends, 2008 (cat. no. 4102.0), including:

drinking at risky levels
illicit drug use
dangerous driving
violence

The latest data on youth suicide, mental health, road accidents and other areas are also covered in the article: Risk Taking by Young People.

Outcome of Review of ASGC

2008-07-29T16:42:00.004+10:00

The Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) is used for the collection and dissemination of geographically classified statistics. The ASGC has formed the foundation of the statistical geography used by the ABS since 1984.

The ABS intends to replace the current ASGC with the new Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) through an implementation strategy commencing in 2011.

The ASGS will be based upon mesh blocks creating more stable and consistent units than the ASGC. It will be the new basis for the publication of the complete range of ABS spatial statistics.

The ASGS will become the essential reference for understanding and interpreting the geographical context of ABS statistics. The ABS anticipates that it will be widely adopted outside the ABS to facilitate the cross comparison of spatial statistics.

A second Information Paper is now available outlining the new Australian Statistical Geography. It addresses the main concerns of stakeholders regarding the ASGS and summarises the strategy for its introduction. Information Paper: Outcome of the Review of the Standard Geographical Classification, 2008 (cat. no. 1216.0.55.002).

Structure of the ASGS

Health of Mature Age Workers

2008-07-29T16:20:00.003+10:00

A snapshot released today presents data on the health of older workers in Australia.

Analysing data from the 2004-05 National Health Survey, the report found that mature age workers (between 45-74 years) were slightly healthier than their non-working counterparts, with 8 in 10 workers having a chronic health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or obesity, compared with 9 in 10 of the non-working population.

See Health of Mature Age Workers in Australia: a Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4837.0.55.001).

National Regional Profile Updated

2008-07-28T21:06:00.004+10:00

The National Regional profile (NRP) has now been updated with a new look, extra Help, and more data. This release contains data spanning the years 2002 to 2006.

New features in this release include the introduction of an NRP Welcome Page which is the 'springboard' for finding regions and data of interest. The Welcome Page includes 'Help' information, such as 'How to's' and 'Frequently Asked Questions' to help users navigate and use the NRP.

A series of four videos have been created to provide a brief overview of the new NRP:
NRP Video Demonstration

In this release, NRP users are also able to access a range of data not available elsewhere on the ABS website including:

Estimated Resident Population by detailed age and sex ranges for Statistical Local Areas,

counts of Australian businesses, including entries and exits data,

time series Taxation Statistics data

and a range of state specific data

We are interested in obtaining your feedback on the latest NRP and its new features. This feedback will be used to improve future products and services. Please take a few minutes to complete the feedback form in the NRP.

Australian Social Trends

2008-07-28T17:06:00.003+10:00

Australian Social Trends, 2008 (cat. no. 4102.0) describes aspects of Australian society and how these are changing over time. It covers such topics as population, family and community, health, education and training, work, economic resources, housing and other areas of interest including internet access and public transport use for work and study.

Also included are a set of international tables that compare Australian trends with those of 17 other nations.
The current 2008 edition shows:

Australians are more likely to have broadband over dial-up

the number of people working as complementary health professionals has nearly doubled in the ten years to 2006

women were more likely to volunteer than men

three quarters of adults in capital cities used cars as their main form of public transport - Sydney had the highest level of public transport use while Canberra had the lowest.

OECD Factbook and Trendalyzer

2008-07-07T17:16:00.004+10:00

Data from the OECD Factbook 2008: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics can be viewed as animated bubble charts using Trendalyzer software from Gapminder.

Track how Australia has changed over time in comparison with other countries. Just click "View Factbook data using Trendalyzer" from the Factbook entry page.

Hans Rosling's Gapminder website includes a range of resources aiming to 'convert boring numbers into enjoyable, animated and interactive graphics': http://www.gapminder.org/

Create your own bubble chart
Google acquired the software behind Trendalyzer in 2007 and their first output is now up and running as a free Google Gadget called Motion Chart. It allows everyone to make a gapminder-like bubble graph that you can publish on your web-page or blog, using google spreadsheets.

Changes to ABS website

2008-07-07T15:13:00.003+10:00

Some changes have been made to the design of the ABS website. This is the first in a series of planned enhancements to the ABS website.

Changes include:

lightening of colours in the top banner
'Details' tab now 'Downloads' tab
addThis 'Bookmark and Share' buttons
more efficient print functionality, and more

Check the ABS website changes page for information on all the changes.

Spotlight on Maternity Leave

2008-07-03T19:40:00.002+10:00

The latest Australian Labour Market Statistics release (cat. no. 6105.0) contains four new 'spotlight' articles - which bring together data on key topics relating to labour statistics.

Spotlight - Maternity Leave:
The issue of paid maternity leave has achieved increasing prominence in Australia over the past few years, particularly within the context of an ageing population and initiatives to increase the fertility rate in Australia; the ability of Australian families to balance their work and family responsibilities; and concerns over the costs and availability of child care. There has been ongoing debate about whether there should be a paid maternity leave scheme, and if so, who would fund such a scheme.

This article highlights changes in paid maternity leave coverage over the past five years, and explores some of the characteristics of female employees who have paid maternity leave entitlements.

Labour Underutilisation

2008-07-03T19:26:00.003+10:00

A new series, the Quarterly Labour Force Underutilisation Rate is introduced in the July issue of Australian Labour Market Statistics (cat. no. 6105.0) released today.

Labour underutilisation is the extent to which available labour is underutilised - either through unemployment or underemployment.

This quarterly time series replaces the existing annual rate which was first published in 2002 in Information Paper: Measures of Labour Underutilisation (cat. no. 6296.0). The new quarterly series has a more conceptually correct basis than the annual rate, and has provided the opportunity to produce more frequent and timely measures of changes in underemployment, and in turn, the underutilisation rate.

For more information see the Quarterly labour force underutilisation rate article in Australian Labour Market Statistics, Jul 2008.

Robbery on the rise in 2007

2008-07-03T19:00:00.004+10:00

A snapshot of robbery in 2007 summarises data from the latest Recorded Crime - Victims release.

Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia, 2007 (cat. no. 4510.0) presents national crime statistics relating to victims of a selected range of offences that have been recorded by police.
Offences include murder, blackmail/extortion, motor vehicle theft, unlawful entry with intent, and other theft. Information is included on the age and sex of victims, the location where the offence occurred, and outcome of police investigations at 30 days.

Bizlinks seminars for small business in WA

2008-07-03T18:53:00.003+10:00

Western Australia: the ABS has been involved in the organisation and conducting of Bizlinks, a seminar designed to assist small businesses during the initial stages of their start-up and development.

Bizlinks seminars incorporate presentations delivered by a collection of Government agencies. These include the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC), the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF), the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (DOCEP) and the State Library of WA.

The first Bizlinks seminar is being held at 5.30pm - 8pm on Wednesday July 30 2008 at the State Library of WA. Check the latest issue of Stats Talk WA (cat. no. 1304.5) for information on how to register.

Identity theft, email scams and more

2008-07-03T18:33:00.003+10:00

The results from the first National Personal Fraud Survey have now been released in Personal Fraud, 2007 (cat. no. 4528.0).

The survey measured three key elements of personal fraud:

people's exposure to a range of selected scams;
whether a person was a victim of either identity fraud or a range of selected scams
any financial losses incurred by victims of personal fraud

Identity fraud included: credit or bank card fraud, and identity theft.
Selected scams included: lotteries, pyramid schemes, phishing and related scams, financial advice, chain letters, advance fee fraud and other scams.

Detailed demographic characteristics about victims, as well as characteristics of the most recent incident for each type of personal fraud were also collected.

Riding the Boom: housing statistics

2008-07-03T17:55:00.003+10:00

The ABS has a large range of housing related information that can be used to keep track of the fluctuations in Australia’s housing market.

This mini article: Riding the Boom in the June issue of Stats Talk WA (cat. no. 1304.5) provides a simple overview of housing market data available from the ABS website.

Statistical Language!

2008-06-30T16:43:00.008+10:00

What is meant by time series? What is Relative Standard Error?

A new publication Statistical Language! (cat. no. 1332.0.55.002) aims to help you understand some fundamental statistical concepts.

Written in plain English, in an easy to use format, this resource will assist users to:

understand key statistical terminology

gain confidence with interpreting summarised information

make critical and informed use of data, whatever its source

Health Literacy in Australia

2008-06-25T18:39:00.005+10:00

What level of skills do Australians have in understanding and using information related to health issues? Health issues can include drugs and alcohol, disease prevention and treatment, safety and accident prevention, first aid, emergencies, and staying healthy.

A new publication: Health Literacy, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4233.0) has just been released. It presents detailed results on Australia's health literacy from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALLS), which was conducted in 2006.

It includes data relating to health literacy skill levels across different age groups, states and territories, and a range of demographic characteristics. Additional data cubes will be added to the website at a later date.

Australia's Health 2008

2008-06-25T18:01:00.009+10:00

Australia's health 2008 is the 11th biennial health report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Content includes:
An overview of the health of Australians
Whose health? how population groups vary
Determinants: keys to prevention
Diseases and injury
Health across the life stages
Health services
Expenditure and workforce

Climate Change and Water: measuring the impact

2008-06-24T20:17:00.003+10:00

At a recent United Nations conference, the ABS presented a paper on how water accounts can contribute to our understanding of climate change.

Water accounts can be used to inform our response, for instance, to changing water availability and distribution. Water accounts enable comparisons of the effects of changes in water use over time, both across industries and sectors and between regions. For example, within the agriculture industry water accounts can help to inform decisions about the cost-effectiveness of irrigating different crops.

Water accounts can also be used to track changing patterns of water use associated with evolving water pricing and trading policies, particularly when such policies target specific sectors of the economy to encourage more efficient water use.

The paper 'Climate Change and Water: how water accounts can help our understanding' was presented at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change and Official Statistics in April 2008.

New ABS course: 'Valuing Australia's Environment'
Open to people outside the ABS for the first time in July 2008, this one day course focuses on the emerging discipline of environmental accouting.

For further information check the latest issue of Environment and Energy News (cat. no. 4653.0)

Drug Action Week 22 - 28 June 2008

2008-06-23T16:08:00.014+10:00

The Drug Action Week 2008 website has a range of Factsheets available which provide summary data about alcohol and drugs in relation to young people, sport, the workplace, indigenous peoples, and more.

Illicit Drugs Data

The latest summary results from Australia's major survey of drug use and related issues, the 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, were released in April 2008 by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

The Australian Crime Commission released the Illicit Drug Data Report for 2006-07 in June 2008. This provides a statistical overview of illicit drug arrests and seizures in Australia.
Indigenous illicit substance use data is summarised in the latest issue of The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2008 (cat. no. 4704.0).

The Australian Secondary School Students’ use of over-the counter and illicit substances survey was last conducted in 2005.

Data relating to illicit drugs in Australia can be found across a range of resources. A comprehensive overview of sources of data is provided in the AIHW publication Statistics on Drug Use in Australia, 2006. An earlier overview was released by the ABS in 2001: Illicit Drug Use, Sources of Australian Data (cat. no. 4808.0).

Links to key data resources are also available via the UNSW Drug Policy Monitoring Program webpage on Drug Statistics; and the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) wepages on Illicit Drugs and Alcohol.