1304.5 - Stats Talk WA (Newsletter), Dec 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/01/2004   
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Citizenship and the Premier’s Department

Social Attachment Indicators
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet is currently finalising the details of a state Citizenship Strategy, which aims to ensure that all Western Australians have the opportunity to participate fully in their communities and in the decision-making that shapes their everyday lives. Citizenship is a concept that reaches across the whole of government and community as it is the common ground that unites us as Western Australians and Australians. It deals with issues such as trust, confidence and the ability of the community to deal with the challenges and uncertainties in the world around us.

Over the past two years, the Citizens and Civics Unit (CCU) has been working with the ABS to extend the Measuring Australia's Progress (cat. no. 1370.0) (MAP) initiative to include the measurement of governance and citizenship in Australia. As part of the MAP initiative, the ABS has developed a range of ‘social attachment’ indicators that measure such things as our perceptions of other people, organisations, and institutions.

It is recognised that no one single factor can be used to indicate social and democratic progress. There will always be discussion and debate about the suitability and comprehensiveness of any given set of social indicators and the ABS has welcomed feedback from the community in this regard. This is one of the many ways that gathering statistical data helps us to better understand and improve the world in which we live.

Our thanks to Dr. Christina Gillgren, Director, Citizens and Civics Unit, Department of Premier and Cabinet for this article.

Further information is available from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet by calling 9222 9837 or from the web site http://www.Citizenscape.wa.gov.au