1304.5 - Stats Talk WA, Sep 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/09/2009   
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A View From The Top
From the Regional Director

Kids say funny things sometimes. Trying to be a good parent and get my sports mad boys interested in news and current affairs, we have taken to watching the news together lately.

Last night, during the finance report, my 12 year old commented that the Hang Seng had taken a "pooning". After translating that this meant it had taken a hit, I was prompted to reflect on the statistics that we are presented with daily, the impact they have on our lives and what they mean for our quality of life.

After all, anyone genuinely affected by the Hang Seng is not waiting until the 6.30 news to find out about it and to anyone else it is largely irrelevant.

At a recent seminar I attended, a presenter posed the question “is life getting better?” Most put their hands up to say it was.

The economy has certainly grown and we are earning bigger paychecks? But are we healthy? Can we afford a house? Is family life better and are we enjoying our leisure time more? We certainly have a longer life, but is it better?

The large resource projects planned for WA will continue to kick our economy along, but will we be leading better lives?

More and more every day, our statistical focus needs to shift to a more holistic view. We must take into account social impacts so we can make more informed choices about the type of community we want into the future and how we can get there.

Michael Tindall, Government Statistician and ABS Regional Director, Western Australia

Michael Tindall,
Government Statistician and
ABS Regional Director,
Western Australia