1304.5 - Stats Talk WA, Dec 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/12/2009   
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Sizzling Statistics

Baby Boom
The Shire of Narrogin had WA’s highest birth rate in 2008, more than twice the state average. The shires of Yalgoo and Quairading filled the minor placings (cat no. 3301.0).

Job Losses Peaked?
WA’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.0% in October, down 0.7%. The trend unemployment figure has remained at 5.4% for the past 4 months (cat. no. 6202.0).

Tough Time To Sell New Cars
Despite WA recording a 0.2% increase in September for the sales of new motor vehicles, there was still a 14.9% decline over the previous 12 month period (cat. no. 9314.0).

Counting Sheep
In the year ended June 2009 Western Australia was estimated to contain 15.5 million sheep, down from over 17.5 million in the previous period (cat. no. 7111.0).

Can’t Stay Awake?
According to the ABS’s Average Retail Prices collection, Perth had the most expensive instant coffee of all the capital cities. That’s a pity, because Perth had the cheapest milk with which to make a flat white (cat. no. 6403.0.55.001).

Pink Wine?
For the year ended June 2009 there were 683 hectares of vines bearing red wine grapes and 688 hectares of vines bearing white wine grapes in WA. White wine grapes will consolidate their lead in the future, with an extra 407 hectares not yet at the bearing stage (cat. no. 1329.0.55.002).

We Could Do Better
While 73% of Western Australian Indigenous children aged 4 to 14 in 2008 were reported as having Excellent/Very good health, this was the lowest figure of all the states and territories (cat. no. 4174.0).