1318.3 - Qld Stats, Nov 2008  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 17/11/2008   
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WHAT'S NEW AT ABS ...


Education News, November 2008
Information Paper: Methods of Estimating the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2008
Historical Selected Agriculture Commodities, by State (1861 to Present), 2007
Vineyards Estimates, Australia, 2007-08
Volunteers in Sport, Australia, 2006
Labour Mobility, Australia, February 2008
CDATA Online, 2006
Research and Experimental Development, All Sector Summary, Australia, 2006-07
Reinstatement of Full Monthly Retail Trade Sample
ABS Release Information
Queensland Theme Page


Image: Education News, November 2008EDUCATION NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008

Education News, November 2008 (cat. no. 1330.0) was released 3 November 2008. Education News keeps teachers and students up to date with ABS resources and data that is relevant to the school's sector. This newsletter highlights the latest curriculum related teaching resources, student activities and statistical tools that have been developed by ABS Education Services as well as other ABS resources that are useful for schools.
Image: Information Paper: Methods of Estimating the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2008INFORMATION PAPER: METHODS OF ESTIMATING THE GROSS VALUE OF IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, 2008

Information Paper: Methods of estimating the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2008 (cat. no. 4610.0.55.006) was released 31 October 2008. Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production (GVIAP) refers to the gross value of agricultural commodities that are produced with the assistance of irrigation. Over the past 18 months the ABS has been developing an improved methodology for calculating GVIAP.

To date, the ABS has used two different methods to calculate GVIAP estimates for various publications such as the Water Account, Australia (cat.no. 4610.0) and the joint ABS/Productivity Commission publication Characteristics of Australia's Irrigated Farms (cat. no. 4623.0). Following the 2005-06 Agricultural Census, it was important that the ABS assessed the methodology used to calculate GVIAP and developed an improved methodology that is appropriate for the release of this, and future, data.

This information paper describes and evaluates the methods the ABS has used to produce estimates of GVIAP. It provides a description of a proposed improved methodology for calculating GVIAP for Australia, allowing increased accuracy and the flexibility to produce sub-state estimates. It is anticipated that the proposed new methodology will be used by the ABS to establish a system that enables the calculation of GVIAP estimates periodically.

It is proposed that experimental estimates based on the improved methodology will be published in Experimental Estimates of the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production 2000-01 to 2006-07 (cat. no. 4610.0.55.008) in early 2009 and also the next edition of the ABS Water Account, Australia (cat. no. 4610.0) (for the reference period 2008-09).
HISTORICAL SELECTED AGRICULTURE COMMODITIES, BY STATE (1861 TO PRESENT), 2007

Historical Selected Agriculture Commodities, by State (1861 to Present), 2007 (cat. no. 7124.0) was released 7 November 2008. This product contains a data cube containing historical agricultural production details. The variables include the area and production of wheat, oats, barley, maize and potatoes, the number of sheep, cattle, pigs and horses, and the tonnes of wool produced. This time series information is available for Australia and most states including Queensland.
Image: Vineyards Estimates, Australia, 2007-08VINEYARDS ESTIMATES, AUSTRALIA, 2007-08

Vineyards Estimates, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 1329.0.55.002) was released 30 October 2008. This publication presents a selection of final estimates from the ABS Vineyards collection. This includes information at national and state levels on areas of vines (including, areas: bearing, not yet bearing and those removed or grafted) and production of grapes (for: winemaking, drying and table and other purposes). It also includes summary data on major grape varieties.

Some selected results for Queensland include:
  • Grape growers in Queensland cultivated 3,176 hectares of vines. The total bearing area for grapes was 3,090 hectares (97%).
  • The total grape production in Queensland during 2007-08 was 14,612 tonnes giving a yield of 4.7 tonnes per hectare, well below the national average of 11.8 tonnes per hectare.
  • In Queensland table and other grapes accounted for 77% of total grape production and grapes for wine making accounted for 23%.

Image: Volunteers in Sport, Australia, 2006VOLUNTEERS IN SPORT, AUSTRALIA, 2006

Volunteers in Sport, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4440.0.55.001) was released 30 October 2008. This publication presents detailed results from the 2006 General Social Survey that cover information about the characteristics of people volunteering for sport and physical recreation organisations, other organisations and non-volunteers.

Some selected results for Queensland include:
  • Around one in eight (12%) of Queenslanders aged 18 years and over volunteered for sports and physical recreation organisations.
  • Of these 361,900 volunteers for sports and physical recreation organisations, 61% were males.
  • For both males and females, volunteers were most likely to be aged 35-44 years (28% of males and 37% of females).
  • Over half (56%) of Queensland volunteers for sports and physical recreation organisations, did so at least once a week and 58% had been volunteers for more than 10 years.
  • Nearly one-third (32%) of Queensland volunteers for sports and physical recreation organisations spent most of their volunteering time in coaching, refereeing or judging.

Image: Labour Mobility, Australia, February 2008LABOUR MOBILITY, AUSTRALIA, FEBRUARY 2008

Labour Mobility, Australia, February 2008 (cat. no. 6209.0) was released 28 October 2008. This publication provides information about people aged 15 years and over who had worked at some time during the year ending February 2008. Details of changes in jobs between employers/businesses for up to three jobs, and for those people, who have been with their employer/business for the last 12 months, the changes in their job including promotion, transfer, changes in occupation and usual hours worked are also included. Estimates can be cross-classified by demographics such as state, sex, age, marital status and country of birth, as well as labour force characteristics.

Some selected results for Queensland include:
  • An estimated 2.3 million Queenslanders aged 15 years and over had worked at some time during the year ending February 2008, whilst 2.1 million were working at February 2008.
  • Of the 2.1 million who were working at February 2008, 74% had been with their current employer/business for one year or more and the remaining 26% had been with their current employer/business for less than 12 months.
  • There were 475,100 Queenslanders who had ceased a job during the year ending February 2008 of which 306,500 were working at February 2008.

Image: CDATA Online, 2006CDATA ONLINE, 2006

CDATA Online, 2006 (cat. no. 2064.0) was released to the web 27 October 2008. CDATA Online, 2006 is an online tool which combines information on Australian society from the 2006 Census, with web graphing and mapping capability. CDATA Online allows you to create your own tables of Census data on a range of different topics such as - age, education, housing, income, transport, religion, ethnicity, occupation and more. This free online product allows you to create tables, maps and graphs of Census characteristics for all ABS geographic areas.

The product is designed to provide clients with a high degree of freedom in selecting and combining the geographical areas most suited to their needs. You can access data for areas as small as a Collection District (approximately 225 households) or as large as an entire state or territory or all of Australia. CDATA Online allows you the freedom to select and combine areas that interest you by creating your own customised geographic areas.

With CDATA Online you are able to cross-tabulate chosen Census data variables to produce a table which can also be viewed as a graph or a thematic map. Predetermined basic tables are available for selection based on broad topics via a topic list. Once a table has been created it can be further customised by adding and removing data items and geographic areas, and by creating custom data groups. Graphs and maps created in CDATA Online can be downloaded in a variety of formats, while registered users can also save created tables within CDATA Online for future retrieval.

Registered users of CDATA Online can save their custom geographies, data items and tables. However, users logged in as a guest will not have the ability to save custom geographies, data items and tables.

A comprehensive user manual for CDATA Online is available from the Downloads tab within this product.
Image: Research and Experimental Development, All Sector Summary, Australia, 2006-07RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT, ALL SECTOR SUMMARY, AUSTRALIA, 2006-07

Research and Experimental Development, All Sector Summary, Australia, 2006-07 (cat. no. 8112.0) was released 21 October 2008. This publication presents summary statistics on the level and distribution of expenditure and human resources devoted to research and experimental development (R&D) carried out by organisations within the Business, Government, Higher Education and Private Non-profit sectors in Australia. Most data are expressed in current prices but key aggregates are also expressed in volume terms.

Some selected results for Queensland include:
  • In 2006-07 gross expenditure on research and development located in Queensland was $3,001.7 million.
  • Queensland in 2006-07 accounted for 14% of national gross expenditure on research and development.
  • Over half (55%) of the gross expenditure on research and development located in Queensland was from the business sector. The Higher Education sector contributed 31%, the State Government 7.4%, the Commonwealth Government 6.3% and the Private Non-Profit sector 1.1%.

Image: Reinstatement of Full Monthly Retail Trade Sample
REINSTATEMENT OF FULL MONTHLY RETAIL TRADE SAMPLE

The Australian Statistician, Brian Pink announced on 5 November 2008 that the ABS will reinstate the full monthly sample for the Retail Business Survey.

The Statistician recognised that global developments over recent months had heightened public interest in government action to support the economy and consequently, there was closer scrutiny of economic data. In addition, key macroeconomic statistics users had indicated that more robust monthly retail trade data are their top priority at this time for improved economic statistics.

Whilst month-on-month changes in retail sales are difficult to measure reliably, even with the best of survey designs and robust samples, reinstating the full monthly sample will reduce some of that uncertainty.

At this stage it is expected that results from the reinstated sample will be available early in 2009.

Further information about the reinstatement of full monthly Retail trade sample will be included in Retail Trade Trends, Australia (cat. no. 8501.0) and Retail Trade Quarterly Indicators, Australia (cat. no 8502.0).
Image: ABS Release InformationABS RELEASE INFORMATION

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website provides the expected release details for all statistical products due for publication in the coming six months.

The web page 'Releases Scheduled for the Next Six Months' is revised on the ABS website at the beginning of each month. This six-month forecasting is intended to keep clients informed about products and when they will become available.

All ABS core statistical and other statistical publications that usually have a catalogue number will be detailed as well as prominent non-statistical publications such as the ABS Annual Report and Australian Statistics Advisory Council Annual Report.

Access 'Releases Scheduled for the Next Six Months' from the ABS Home page via 'Future Releases' or use this link.

Information on all ABS product releases can also be accessed from ABS Release Advice. This web page also provides links to Previous Releases, Releases Scheduled for the Next Six Months and Main Economic Indicator Releases.
Image: Queensland Theme PageQUEENSLAND THEME PAGE

This page provides access to Queensland statistical information including statistical releases and links to non-ABS sources. A wide range of economic and social statistics is covered.