1100.2 - Statistics Victoria, Mar 2008  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 14/04/2008   
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Image: What's Happening in Victoria

What's Happening in Victoria


New look Statistics Victoria Newsletter
Victorian Statistics Advisory Forum meeting of 14 March 2008
Regional Population Growth
NatStats Conference 2008
Informing decisions - ABS Service Delivery Charter 2008-2011
Help for Local Government on the ABS website
2008 Australian Population Association Conference
Launch of the 2008 Year Book Australia
Launch of Melbourne's Social Atlas
State and Regional Indicators, Victoria - Childcare Usage in Victoria


New look Statistics Victoria Newsletter

Statistics Victoria newsletter has evolved this year, and is now provided in e-mag format with hotlinks to reviewed publications. We have ceased producing a pdf issue. This offers the reader an easy way to access content of interest from its source. As always, we try to focus on ABS data which has Victorian content, and offer a sharp review to give a window on selected ABS releases. Reader feedback is always welcome, and can be directed to Alan Page, Editor at <victoria.statistics@abs.gov.au>.


Victorian Statistics Advisory Forum meeting of 14 March 2008

The Victorian Statistics Advisory Forum (VSAF) met on 14 March 2008, marking the first VSAF attended by Mr Carl Obst in his new role as Regional Director, ABS Victoria. Mr Martin, who in addition to his role as VSAF Chair is also the Victorian Government representative on the State Statistical Forum (SSF), provided a report on the 11 March 2008 SSF meeting in Canberra. SSF discussed a number of key strategic areas. ABS' operational response to fiscal savings announced by the Federal Government was a high priority, with discussion focusing on sample size reduction for some collections and implications for the 2011 Census.

Further discussion focused on state and territory statistical priorities, in particular four priority areas identified by ABS Regional Directors. It was decided to concentrate on three out of the four priorities: local area demography; improved statistics on the Indigenous Australian population, and children and youth statistics. The fourth priority area, local level economic development, was assessed as lower priority; however ABS will still pursue action in this area.

Other SSF agenda items included: water statistics; housing affordability statistics, and the potential role ABS could play in transportation statistics, in particular around congestion and public transport.

Mr Obst delivered an update on recent ABS activity. He opened by encouraging data sharing within the Victorian State Government (VSG), and proposed a review of engagement between ABS and VSG to achieve greater progress in coordinating data. Mr Obst also noted a number of developments around ABS' current budget constraints. In particular, ABS’ Labour Force section will continue to produce the same outputs, and decreased sample sizes will have only a negligible effect on data usability. Mr Obst also referred to the revised ABS organisational structure following several changes at senior level, noting in particular Mr Vince Lazzaro’s (former Regional Director, ABS Victoria) new appointment as head of the National Statistical Service (NSS) Leadership Branch (ABS).

Ms Jeanette Pope (Department of Planning and Community Development) attended VSAF as a guest, to report on developments since a review of various community wellbeing indicator projects. Ms Pope described a two-pronged approach, consisting of discussions at the local government level, and discussion between VSG departments. VSAF discussed the idea of developing a statistical coordination point for VSG. The meeting agreed that further dialogue was required to progress compilation of an options paper, which will be taken forward by a group consisting of representatives from a number of departments.

Mr Mano Georgopoulos (Director, Customer Services Branch, ABS Central Office), gave a presentation on ABS strategies for developing statistical literacy in Australia. The approach targets different community user groups in different ways; such as students, teachers, library programs, small business and journalists.

For further information on VSAF contact Antonella Caruso on (03) 9615 7860 or email <victoria.statistics@abs.gov.au>


Regional Population Growth

The Capital City of Melbourne had the largest growth of all capital cities in Australia. This was the biggest story for Victoria coming from the release of Regional Population Growth, Australia 2006-07 (cat. no. 3218.0) on 31 March. The estimated resident population of the Melbourne Statistical Division (SD) was 3.8 million at June 2007. This represents an increase of 61,700 people (1.6%), which is equivalent to an extra 1,200 persons each week. Sydney SD had the second largest growth, increasing by 52,000 people. Victoria as a whole grew by 1.5% which was the same as the annual growth for Australia.

The largest and fastest growth continued to occur in outer fringe local government areas (LGAs) of Wyndham, Casey, Melton, Cardinia and Whittlesea. These strong growth patterns are consistent with patterns observed over the past five years. The City of Melbourne also showed strong growth with the fourth largest population increase and the second fastest growth of all Victorian LGAs. The following table highlights the LGAs with the largest and fastest population growth in Victoria for the year ending 30 June 2007.
Table: LGAs with largest and fastest population growth
Graph: Change in Estimated Resident Population, 2006-07 (%), Local government Areas, Melbourne Statistical Division

The estimated annual population growth outside of metropolitan Melbourne increased by 1.1% (which is about 15,200 people) in the year ending 30 June 2007. The largest growth occurred in the LGAs of Greater Geelong, Greater Bendigo and the City of Ballarat as well as the City of Latrobe and the Rural City of Mildura. The rate of growth, however, was faster on the coast, with the shires of Surf Coast, Bass Coast and the City of Warrnambool all in the top five fastest growing LGAs in regional Victoria. The Shire of Mitchell, which is still within commuting distance of Melbourne, was the second fastest growing LGA outside the Melbourne SD.

Graph: Change in Estimated Resident Population 2006-07 (%), Local Government Areas, Regional Victoria



NatStats Conference 2008

Planning for the inaugural ABS hosted NatStats 08 Conference is well underway. The conference will be held from 19-21 November 2008 at the Crown Promenade in Melbourne. It will connect users and producers of official statistics, and provide participants with an opportunity to discuss strategies for improving statistics for policy and decision making.

The focus of the conference will be on measuring progress in Australian society and future information needs. An array of high profile policy and decision makers from across the community will ensure a varied and exciting program.

The NatStats 08 Conference will be linked with the global initiative being led by the OECD on Measuring Progress in Societies and with the Australian initiatives being developed through the Australia 2020 Summit and the National Reform Agenda.

If you would like more information on the conference please email Mark Lound at <inquiries@nss.gov.au> or phone (02) 6252 6325. Alternatively, if you would like to register your interest in the conference, please contact Conference Solutions on <natstats@con-sol.com> or phone (02) 6285 3000.

Keep your eyes open for details of the conference in future editions of the Statistics Victoria newsletter.

Image: NATSTATS Conference 2008


Informing decisions - ABS Service Delivery Charter 2008-2011

ABS is committed to increasing access to Australia's wealth of statistical information. We do this by delivering timely, relevant and accurate statistical information; the use of which contributes to informed decision making, research and discussion within governments, businesses and Australian and international communities. Our website presents ABS data free of charge, and is supported by a telephone enquiry service. This Charter outlines our commitment to providing a quality customer service, specifying what you can expect when you approach us for statistical or other information.

Image: Service Delivery Charter 2008-2011


Help for Local Government on the ABS website

Local Government users of the ABS website can now access information pages designed to help find data and other resources of interest to Local Government. Called Services We Provide to Local Government, these new information pages include:
  • How to find data for Local Government Areas
  • How to keep informed about ABS releases and developments; and
  • Information about resources and services available to help you use data.

The pages include ABS releases that contain data at Local Government Area level, and information about ABS training available to Local Government clients. Find these new pages by clicking on this link Services We Provide to Local Government, or go to the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>, click on 'Services We Provide' from the home page, then 'Services to Local Government'.

'Services We Provide to Local Government' is the latest in a series of help pages aimed at assisting ABS clients. Other 'Services We Provide' pages on the ABS website include: State/Territory Government, Small Business, and Universities.


2008 Australian Population Association Conference

The 14th biennial Australian Population Association (APA) conference will be held from Monday 30 June to Thursday 3 July 2008 at the Alice Springs Convention Centre. The Australian Statistician, Brian Pink will give the Borrie lecture on Monday. Plenary sessions and speakers include:
  • Indigenous Demography: Dr Margaret Michalowski (Statistics Canada) and Dr John Taylor (Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research),
  • Policy responses to social change: Professor Ross Guest (Griffith University) and Professor Wolfgang Lutz (Vienna Institute of Demography),
  • The Demography of Australia's Northern Neighbours: Professor Brenda Yeoh (National University of Singapore) and Dr John Bryant (Mahidol University, Thailand).

For more information including the program, see the conference website at www.nt.gov.au/ntt/apa2008.


Launch of the 2008 Year Book Australia

We are having more kids, living in bigger houses, but are environmentally more conservative, according to the 2008 Year Book Australia (cat. no. 1301.0) launched on 7 February 2008 by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (Retd) at a function in Canberra.

At the launch the Australian Statistician, Brian Pink announced that all 90 volumes of the Year Book Australia, going back to the first edition published in 1908, are now available free of charge from the ABS website. "The Year Book Australia is a magnificent window into Australia showing where we have come from and where we are going", said Brian Pink. "Now with all historical Year Books freely available in digital format on the ABS website for posterity, the community can easily chart the course of the nation."

A feature article on Australia's 60,000 Scouts may be of interest to the 2 million Australians who have been Scouts. The Year Book also includes features on Tsunami Risk to Australia, Sustainable Forest Management, and Child Employment.

"The release of the 2008 Year Book is an opportune time to extend our thanks to the people and businesses of Australia for their continued support."

2008 Year Book Australia
Launch of Melbourne's Social Atlas

Melbourne ... A Social Atlas, 2006 (cat. no. 2030.2) was released on 17 March 2008 and presents colour maps based on 2006 Census data that highlight key social, demographic and housing characteristics of Melbourne and Geelong. Maps highlight the diversity across these cities, and commentary explains the main features of each map. Maps cover population, cultural diversity, education, labour force, income, families, households and dwellings.

Rented dwellings. There were 320,165 rented dwellings in Melbourne at the 2006 Census, accounting for 26.6% of all occupied private dwellings. High concentrations of rented dwellings were located in the city centre and inner suburbs. Inner city suburbs where more than 60% of all dwellings were rented included Flemington, Parkville, North Melbourne, Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy, East Melbourne, Southbank, South Yarra and St Kilda. Refer to the publication for other interesting demographic data about Melbourne.
Image: Rented dwellings as a percentage of all occuppied dwellings
Image: Percent and kilometre scale



State and Regional Indicators, Victoria - Childcare Usage in Victoria

The feature article in the December quarter 2007 State and Regional Indicators, Victoria (cat.no. 1367.2) focused on several aspects of child care usage in Victoria, using data from the June 2005 Child Care Survey. It provided details of level of usage, cost of care, characteristics of families using child care, dissection of child care usage by age and type of work arrangements parents adopt to care for their children. Child care refers to arrangements (other than care by resident parents) made for the care of children aged 0–12 years. The Child Care Survey collected information about formal and informal child care. Formal child care refers to regulated care that takes place away from the child's home, for example long day care, before and/or after school care and family day care. Informal care refers to non-regulated care that takes place in the child's home or elsewhere. It includes care by family members, friends, neighbours, baby sitters and nannies. Parents often use a combination of formal and informal child care for their children.

In June 2005, 374,500 children aged 0–12 years received some type of child care in Victoria during the reference week. This represented 46% of children in this age group. Formal care, either alone or in combination with informal care, was used by 20% (165,000) of all children 0-12 years in the reference week. Informal care, either alone or in combination with formal care, was used by 33% (268,800) of children aged 0–12 years.

This article is presented in full in the December quarter 2007 edition of 'State and Regional Indicators, Victoria' (cat. no. 1367.2), along with many other commentary covering Victorian data at local government area and sub-state level. Read the article from this link.

For further information contact Pam Boulton on (03) 9615 7880 or email <victoria.statistics@abs.gov.au>