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REGIONAL SUMMARY

Area

Tasmania's total land area, including off-shore islands, covers 68,121 km², within which the Greater Hobart-Southern Region covers 37.6% (25,616 km²), the Mersey-Lyell Region covers 33.1% (22,523 km²), and the Northern Region covers 29.3% (19,980 km²) (Source: Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, 2001).

Population

Tasmania's estimated resident population at 30 June 2000 was 470,376, which was 2.46% of the nation's population. At that time the Greater Hobart-Southern Region had an estimated resident population of 229,060 persons, which was 48.7% of the State's population. The Northern Region had an estimated resident population of 133,080 persons (28.3% of the State's population) and the Mersey-Lyell Region had an estimated resident population of 108,236 persons (23.0%).

Between 1998 and 2000, Tasmania's annual population declined. At 30 June 2000, Tasmania had an estimated 427 fewer residents than at 30 June 1999, a decline of 0.1%. The estimated net population decline between 1998 and 1999 was 897 residents or 0.2%. There was population decline in all three Tasmanian Regions during both periods. The estimated resident population of the Greater Hobart-Southern Region declined by 383 residents (0.2%) between 1998 and 1999, and by 59 residents (0.03%) between 1999 and 2000. The Northern Region's estimated resident population declined by 8 residents (0.01%) between 1998 and 1999, and by 89 residents (0.1%) between 1999 and 2000. In the Mersey-Lyell Region the estimated resident population declined by 506 people (0.5%) between 1998 and 1999, and 279 people (0.3%) between 1999 and 2000.

Labour force

In 2000, there was an estimated average of 200,400 employed people (in original terms) in Tasmania, an increase of 3,800 on the estimated average of 196,600 employed people in 1999. An estimated average of 19,200 people were classed as unemployed in Tasmania in 2000. Of these, 10,100 were in the Greater Hobart-Southern Region, 5,000 were in the Northern Region, and 5,100 were in the Mersey-Lyell Region.

In 2000, Tasmania's average unemployment rate was 8.7%. The Greater Hobart-Southern Region had an unemployment rate of 9.4%, the Northern Region a rate of 7.7% and the Mersey-Lyell Region a rate of 10.5%. The Tasmanian participation rate was 59.2%. The Greater Hobart-Southern Region had a participation rate of 58.6%, the Northern Region a rate of 59.7% and the Mersey-Lyell Region a rate of 59.1%.

Education

There were 282 schools in Tasmania in 2000, four fewer than in 1998. During the same period the proportion of schools run by private institutions (23.8% in 2000) increased by 0.7%. The number of Tasmanian full-time students attending both private and public schools dropped from 84,116 students in 1998, to 83,537 in 2000, a decline of 0.7%. This decrease in full-time students was greater in the private school sector (1.9%) than in the public system (0.3%). The number of Tasmanian students enrolled at the University of Tasmania increased by 1.3% between 1998 and 2000, from 10,517 students to 10,657 students.

The small decline in the number of schools between 1998 and 2000 at the State level, was spread evenly across the Regions, with the Greater Hobart-Southern Region losing two schools during the period, and the Northern and Mersey-Lyell Regions both losing one. During the same period the number of full-time students in the Greater Hobart-Southern Region declined by 178 students, the number in the Northern Region increased by 120 students, and the number in the Mersey-Lyell Region declined by 521 students. Between 1998 and 2000 the number of students from the Greater Hobart-Southern Region who enrolled at the University of Tasmania increased by 301, while decreasing in both the Northern and Mersey-Lyell Regions, by 117 and 44 students respectively.

Income

The number of individual taxpayers in Tasmania declined from 195,100 in the 1997-98 financial year to 186,300 in the 1998-99 financial year, which was a decline of 4.5%. During the same period, Tasmania's mean taxable income increased by 5.7% from $29,285 to $30,953. The number of Tasmanians receiving the Age Pension and Disability Support Pension between 4 January 1999 and 4 June 2000 also increased, by 1.4% and 4.5% respectively. Similarly, in each of the Regions there was a decline in the number of taxpayers, as well as increases in the mean taxable income and the number of Age and Disability Support pension recipients. The Mersey-Lyell Region had the largest decline in taxpayers (5.6%), as well as the largest increase in taxable income (5.8%), and in Age Pension recipients (5.3%), while the Greater Hobart-Southern Region had the largest increase in Disability Support Pension recipients (7.5%). The proportion of taxpayers residing in the Mersey-Lyell, Northern and Greater Hobart-Southern Regions in 1999-2000 was 21.9%, 27.9% and 49.8% respectively.

Victims of selected offences

In Tasmania in 2000, there were 3,367 reported motor vehicle thefts, 78 victims reporting armed robberies, and 194 victims reporting sexual assaults. Between 1998 and 2000 the number of victims reporting sexual assault and armed robbery decreased by 10.2 % and 8.2% respectively at the State level, while the number of motor vehicle thefts increased by 12.6%.

At the regional level in 2000, 67.8% of motor vehicle thefts occurred in the Greater Hobart-Southern Region, 24.9% in the Northern Region, and 7.2% in the Mersey-Lyell Region. The greatest percentage change in the number of reported vehicle thefts between 1998 and 2000 occurred in the Northern Region, with the number increasing by 75.7% during the period. The Greater Hobart-Southern Region also had the highest proportion of victims reporting armed robbery in the State in 2000 (60.3%), while the Northern Region had 32.1%, and the Mersey-Lyell Region, 7.7%. Between 1998 and 2000 the greatest change in the number of victims reporting armed robbery was in the Mersey-Lyell Region, in which the number of victims fell by 68.4%. In 2000, 53.6% of the victims reporting sexual assault were in the Greater Hobart-Southern Region, 22.2% in the Northern Region, and 24.2% in the Mersey-Lyell Region. The greatest change in the number of victims reporting this crime was in the Northern Region, where the number of victims reporting sexual assaults dropped by 24.6% between 1998 and 2000.

New motor vehicle registrations

In 2000, there were 15,767 new motor vehicle registrations in Tasmania, a decrease of 3.1% from the number registered in 1998 (16,272). The majority of new motor vehicle registrations in the State in 2000 were in the Greater Hobart-Southern Region (58.0%), followed by the Northern Region (24.1%) and the Mersey-Lyell Region (17.8%).

Building

There were 1,554 dwelling unit approvals recorded in Tasmania in 2000, 1.6% fewer than in 1999 and 3.9% more than in 1998. At the regional level, increases over the number of dwelling approvals in the previous year (of between 3% and 12%) were recorded in both 1999 and 2000 in all Regions except the Northern, in which there was a 15.3% decline between 1999 and 2000. The value of new residential building approvals in Tasmania in 2000 was estimated at $166.0m. This figure also increased during both years in all Regions except the Northern, in which there was a 10.1% decrease in the value of new residential building approvals between 1999 and 2000.

The value of non-residential building approvals fluctuated in the two years between 1998 and 2000, in all of the Regions and at the State level. At the State level the value of non-residential building approvals increased by 46.9% from $130.8m in 1998 to $192.1m in 1999, and then decreased by 17.6% to $158.3m in 2000. In the Greater Hobart-Southern Region, the value of non-residential building approvals increased by 94.9% between 1998 and 1999, and then fell by 23.1% to reach $91.6m in 2000. In the Northern Region there was a 10.4% decrease between 1998 and 1999, followed by an increase of 7.3% to reach $44.3m in 2000. In the Mersey-Lyell Region the value of non-residential building approvals increased by 34.9% between 1998 and 1999, and then fell by 29.7% to $22.3m in 2000.

Agriculture

In the year ending 31 March 1999, there were 4,446 agricultural establishments with an estimated value of agricultural operations (EVAO) of $5,000 or more operating in Tasmania, a decrease of 0.8% in the number reported for the previous year (4,482). Although there was a small decline in the number of establishments in all Regions between these years, the only Region that lost more than 10 agricultural establishments was the Mersey-Lyell Region, where the number of establishments fell by 27 (1.5%). Of all the agricultural establishments in the State in the year ending 31 March 1999, 39.0% were located in the Mersey-Lyell Region, 35.6% were in the Northern Region, and 25.4% were in the Greater Hobart-Southern Region.

The value of agricultural commodities produced (VACP) in Tasmania in the year ending 31 March 1998 was $678.2m. This value rose to $699.9m in the year ending 31 March 1999. The Mersey-Lyell Region contributed the largest share of Tasmania's VACP during that period, producing 43.5% ($304.7m) of the State total. In the same year, the Northern Region contributed 35.5% ($248.6m) and the Greater Hobart-Southern Region contributed 20.9% ($146.6m).

Tourist accommodation

The number of hotel, motel, guest house and serviced apartment establishments with 15 or more rooms in operation during the December quarters of 1998, 1999 and 2000 showed very little variation, at both the Regional and State levels. Variation was apparent, however, in room occupancy rates and takings, with both increasing between 1998 and 2000 in the Greater Hobart-Southern Region, by 3.1% and 11.1%, respectively. Both room occupancy rates and takings declined between 1998 and 2000 in the Mersey-Lyell Region, by 5.4% and 1.4%, respectively. In the Northern Region during this period, the room occupancy rate declined by 0.8%, while takings from accommodation increased by 1.1%. Takings from accommodation also increased between 1998 and 2000 at the State level, by 5.9%, while the State's room occupancy rate remained stable.

Employment generated by hotels, motels, guest houses and serviced apartments either remained stable or declined in the three Regions during this period, declining at the State level by 3.0% in the 2000 December quarter.

In the December quarter 2000, the Greater Hobart-Southern Region had 40.6% of Tasmania's hotels, motels, guest houses and serviced apartments with 15 or more rooms and gathered 56.1% of the takings from accommodation, the Northern Region had 28.1% of these establishments and 25.8% of the takings, while the remaining 31.3% of the establishments were located in the Mersey-Lyell Region, which claimed 18.2% of the takings.


REGIONAL SUMMARY

		Greater Hobart-Southern			Northern
	Unit	1998	1999	2000	1998	1999	2000
Area	km2	..	..	25,616	..	..	19,980
Population
Estimated resident population at 30 June	no.	229,502	229,119	229,060	133,177	133,169	133,080
Population change from previous year	%	-0.26	-0.17	-0.03	-0.41	-0.01	-0.07
Aged 0-14 years	no.	48,693	48,036	n.y.a	28,631	28,227	n.y.a
Aged 65 years and over	no.	29,833	30,227	n.y.a	18,219	18,540	n.y.a
Median age of total population	years	35.6	36.0	n.y.a	35.7	36.1	n.y.a
Labour force
Employed (annual average)	'000	96.8	95.9	96.7	55.0	56.6	59.5
Unemployed (annual average)	'000	9.9	10.1	10.1	7.4	5.5	5.0
Unemployment rate (annual average)	%	9.3	9.5	9.4	11.9	8.8	7..7
Participation rate (annual average)	%	60.0	58.6	59.0	59.4	59.0	59.7
Education
Government schools	no.	101	100	99	60	57	58
Non-government schools	no.	34	33	34	16	16	17
Government full-time school students	no.	29,385	29,531	29,454	17,973	17,996	18,081
Non-government full-time school students	no.	12,180	12,024	11,933	4,858	4,813	4,870
University of Tasmania enrolments(a)	no.	6,335	6,589	6,636	2,861	2,869	2,744
Income
Individual taxpayers (year ending 30 June)	'000	96.7	92.8	n.y.a	54.1	51.9	n.y.a
Mean taxable income (year ending 30 June)	$	30,233	31,862	n.y.a	28,200	29,840	n.y.a
Age pension(c)	no.	n.a	20,887	21,534	n.a	13,167	13,803
Disability Support Pensions(c)	no.	n.a	9,625	10,343	n.a	4,981	5,307
Victims of selected offences
Motor vehicle theft	no.	2,316	2,256	2,284	478	616	840
Armed robbery	no.	43	51	47	23	11	25
Sexual assault	no.	102	100	104	57	48	43
New motor vehicle registrations(d)
Registrations	no.	8,597	7,905	9,148	4,400	4,396	3,806
Building(d)
Dwelling units approved	no.	775	815	856	474	489	414
Value of new residential building approved	$m	68.5	78.8	93.1	41.6	48.5	43.6
Value of non-residential building approved	$m	61.1	119.1	91.6	46.1	41.3	44.3
Value of all building approved	$m	150.4	221.1	214.2	96.7	99.8	99.4
Agriculture (year ending 31st March)
Establishments(f)	no.	1,138	1,129	n.y.a	1,584	1,583	n.y.a
Value of agricultural commodities produced (VACP)	$m	148.2	146.6	n.y.a	243.2	248.6	n.y.a
Tourist accomodation(d)(g)
Establishments (December quarter)	no.	52	53	52	36	36	36
Room occupancy rate (annual average)	%	57.2	58.6	59.0	50.8	51.7	50.4
Takings from accomodation (annual average)	$'000	47,974	48,550	53,287	24,208	24,240	24,474
Employment (December quarter)	no.	1,984	2,113	1,985	1,329	1,310	1,293
...continued

		Mersey-Lyell			Tasmania
	Unit	1998	1999	2000	1998	1999	2000
Area	km2	..	..	22,523	..	..	68,121
Population
Estimated resident population at 30 June	no.	109,021	108,515	108,236	471,700	470,803	470,376
Population change from previous year	%	-0.59	-0.46	-0.26	-0.38	-0.19	-0.09
Aged 0-14 years	no.	24,673	24,261	n.y.a	101,997	100,524	n.y.a
Aged 65 years and over	no.	13,938	14,241	n.y.a	61,990	63,008	n.y.a
Median age of total population	years	35.4	35.9	n.y.a	35.6	36.0	n.y.a
Labour force
Employed (annual average)	'000	43.9	43.3	43.4	196.4	196.6	200.4
Unemployed (annual average)	'000	5.9	5.5	5.1	22.2	20.2	19.2
unemployment rate (annual average)	%	11.8	11.3	10.5	10.2	9.3	8.7
Participation rate (annual average)	%	57.3	58.1	59.1	59.1	58.6	59.2
Education
Government schools	no.	59	59	58	220	216	215
Non-government schools	no.	16	16	16	66	65	67
Government full-time school students	no.	15,620	15,427	15,268	62,978	62,954	62,803
Non-government full-time school students	no.	4,100	4,022	3,931	21,138	20,859	20,734
University of Tasmania enrolments(a)	no.	1,321	1,362	1,277	10,517	10,820	10,657
Income
Individual taxpayers (year ending 30 June)	'000	43.2	40.8	n.y.a	(b)195.1	(b)186.3	n.y.a
Mean taxable income (year ending 30 June)	$	28,557	30,226	n.y.a	(b)29,285	(b)30,953	n.y.a
Age pension(c)	no.	n.a	10,630	11,192	n.a	45,906	46,546
Disability Support Pensions(c)	no.	n.a	4,953	5,243	n.a	20,009	20,908
Victims of selected offences
Motor vehicle theft	no.	197	206	243	2,991	3,078	3,367
Armed robbery	no.	19	14	6	85	76	78
Sexual assault	no.	57	50	47	216	198	194
New motor vehicle registrations(d)
Registrations	no.	3,258	3,047	2,799	(e)16,272	(e)15,386	(e)15,767
Building(d)
Dwelling units approved	no.	247	276	284	1,496	1,580	1,554
Value of new residential building approved	$m	21.2	25.1	30.3	132.3	152.5	166.0
Value of non-residential building approved	$m	23.5	31.7	22.3	130.8	192.1	158.3
Value of all building approved	$m	53.0	64.1	60.5	300.2	384.9	374.2
Agriculture (year ending 31st March)
Establishments(f)	no.	1,761	1,734	n.y.a	4,482	4,446	n.y.a
Value of agricultural commodities produced (VACP)	$m	286.9	304.7	n.y.a	678.2	699.9	n.y.a
Tourist accomodation(d)(g)
Establishments (December quarter)	no.	41	41	40	129	130	128
Room occupancy rate (annual average)	%	42.6	42.4	40.3	51.7	52.5	51.8
Takings from accomodation (annual average)	$'000	17,526	17,273	17,275	89,708	90,063	95,036
Employment (December quarter)	no.	811	805	721	4,124	4,228	3,999