6523.0 - Household Income and Income Distribution, Australia, 2009-10  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/08/2011   
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ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

This publication presents estimates of the income and other characteristics of households and persons resident in private dwellings in Australia, compiled from the 2009-10 Survey of Income and Housing (SIH). It includes estimates of the distribution of income across the population.


CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

Key changes to the 2009-10 SIH include:

  • an increase in sample size from 9,345 households in 2007-08 to 18,071 households in 2009-10 due to a 10,800 base sample, an expansion in the SIH sample for an extra 4,200 households, located outside capital cities as well as an additional sample of metropolitan households whose main source of income was a government pension, benefit and/or allowance
  • the inclusion of a benchmark for the value of government benefit cash transfers to ensure that the survey estimate of government benefit cash transfers is maintained at a proportion of aggregate benefit cash transfers that is consistent with previous SIH cycles (this benchmark was last used in the 2000-01 SIH)
  • housing data on dwelling condition, characteristics, mobility, finance and rental arrangements collected in 2007-08 were not collected in 2009-10
  • wealth data items on assets and liabilities were collected in 2009-10 (last collected in the 2005-06 SIH)
  • disability questions for persons aged 15 years and over were asked in the 2009-10 SIH
  • an expanded range of detailed tables are included as an Excel datacube on the website, including additional estimates of average weekly equivalised disposable household income and gross household income for populations featured in this publication
  • a comparison between the SIH income estimates and the Australian System of National Accounts is included in this publication.


REVISIONS

Errors in processing the 2007-08 income estimates have been corrected, resulting in an average increase of $3 for mean equivalised disposable household income across all households. This was reflected largely in a 1.3% increase in the mean equivalised disposable household income of households in the highest quintile. The income estimates for 2007-08 shown in this publication have been revised. These corrections will be processed for a subsequent re-release of the 2007-08 SIH CURF.


EFFECTS OF ROUNDING

Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals. Published percentages are calculated prior to rounding of the figures and therefore some discrepancy may exist between these percentages and those that could be calculated from the rounded figures.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Living Conditions on Canberra (02) 6252 6174, email <living.conditions@abs.gov.au>.