1362.4 - Regional Statistics, South Australia, 2004  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/10/2004  Final
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Regional Statistics, South Australia, 2004 (Cat. No. 1362.4) presents a statistical summary of key economic and social information for Local Government Areas (LGAs), Statistical Subdivisions (SSD) and Statistical Divisions (SD) in South Australia. It contains the latest available data (at the time of preparation), as well as historical data, for a selected range of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and some non-ABS data items. Topics covered include population, births and deaths, labour force, income, income support customers, building approvals, property sales, local government finance and motor vehicle sales.

The state is comprised of seven Statistical Divisions (SDs). These divisions represent regions which are characterised by discernible social and/or economic links between the inhabitants and the economic units within them under the unifying influence of one or more major towns or cities.

The seven SDs are, in turn, divided into Statistical Subdivisions (SSDs) which are also defined as socially and economically homogeneous regions characterised by identifiable links between the inhabitants. There are 20 SSDs in South Australia and these are shown in the map below.

In South Australia SSDs consist, for the most part, of aggregations of Local Government Areas (LGAs). This publication includes data for each LGA, on the basis of LGA boundaries as at 30 June 2003.

MAP SHOWING SSDs IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Map showing Statistical subdivisions in South Australia

The publication contains:
  • reference maps and written commentary about the regions,
  • the latest available data at the time of preparation - both ABS and non-ABS,
  • historical data - 6 years of data showing trends over time,
  • graphs to complement the tables presented, and
  • commentary describing key observations evident in the data.

This is the seventh issue of this publication and continues the ABS' strategy to improve the availability and range of statistical data at the regional level. A bibliography and other sources of regional data are also included.


MAIN FEATURES

Regional South Australia (Regional SA), or the area outside the Adelaide SD, is the main focus of the overview outlined below. Data for the Adelaide SD and South Australia are used for comparison purposes to help illustrate the current status of areas in Regional SA.


POPULATION

At 30 June 2003 the population of South Australia was estimated to be 1,527,148 persons. The Adelaide SD contains the majority of South Australia's population with 1,119,718 persons, with only 26.7% (407,430 persons) living in Regional SA.

In Regional SA 29.2% of the population (118,828 persons) resided in the Outer Adelaide SD, which had a population growth of 2.2% (2,572 persons) in the 12 months ending 30 June 2003. The Northern SD, with 19.2% (78,184) of Regional SA's population, also has a significant population base. Eyre SD and Yorke and Lower North SD have the smallest populations with 8.4% (34,402) and 10.9% (44,537) respectively of Regional SA's population.



LGAs WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH, 2002-2003
LGA
no.
%
LGA
no.
%

LARGEST GROWTH

FASTEST GROWTH
Salisbury (C)
1,396
1.2
Light (RegC)
567
5.2
Port Adelaide Enfield (C)
884
0.9
Victor Harbor (C)
343
3.0
Onkaparinga (C)
882
0.6
Alexandrina (DC)
499
2.7
Playford (C)
713
1.0
Mount Barker (DC)
593
2.4
Mount Barker (DC)
593
2.4
Grant (DC)
180
2.3



BIRTHS AND DEATHS

The number of births to women usually resident in South Australia fell from 17,481 in 2001–02 to 17,242 in 2002–03. The crude birth rate for 2002–03 of 11.3 births per 1,000 resident population was the lowest recorded level. Regional SA also recorded a decrease in the number of births between 2001–02 and 2002–03, from 4,883 to 4,758 with the crude birth rate falling from 12.1 to 11.7.

In the Adelaide SD the highest crude birth rate in 2002–03 was recorded in Playford (C) (15.0) and the lowest was in Adelaide (C) (6.4), which was also the lowest in the state. In Regional SA the highest crude birth rate was in Roxby Downs (M) (24.7) and the lowest, 7.2, was in Victor Harbor (C).

In 2002–03 there were 11,699 deaths of South Australians, an increase from 11,578 deaths in 2001–02. There was a decrease in the number of deaths in Regional SA for the same period, from 3,194 in 2001–02 to 3,182 in 2002–03.

For 2002–03 the crude death rate in South Australia was 7.7 deaths per 1,000 population. The crude death rate for Regional SA was similar at 7.8. A crude death rate of 11.3 deaths per 1,000 population was recorded in the Yorke SSD while in the Far North SSD the rate was 4.6 deaths per 1,000 population.


UNEMPLOYMENT

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) unemployment rate for South Australia for the June quarter 2003 was estimated to be 6.3%, down from 6.7% for the same period of the previous year. The unemployment rate in Regional SA also decreased from 7.0% for the June quarter 2002 to 5.5% for the June quarter 2003.

For the June quarter 2003 unemployment rates above 10% were evident in the Whyalla SSD (12.9%), Pirie SSD (11.1%), and Far North SSD (10.7%). Low unemployment rates were evident in the Upper South East SSD (2.0%), Mt Lofty Ranges SSD (2.5%) and Barossa SSD (2.7%).

Unemployment rates vary within and across regions. For the June quarter 2003 Peterborough (DC) and Coober Pedy (DC) in the state's north had unemployment rates estimated at 17.0% and 15.1% respectively, while in the same region Roxby Downs (M) had an unemployment rate estimated at 0.9%. Other LGAs to record low unemployment rates for the June quarter 2003 were Kimba (DC) (1.0%) and Tatiara (DC) (1.1%).

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE,
Statistical Divisions, June 2003

Graph;  Unemployment rate by Statistical Divisions, June quarters 2002 and 2003 (DEWR Small Area Labour Markets, Australia)



INCOME

For the financial year 2001–02 average individual annual taxable income in South Australia was $36,404. The average in the Adelaide SD was $36,865 and in Regional SA, $35,020. Within Regional SA the Eyre SD, with $37,402, Yorke and Lower North SD, with $36,920, and Northern SD, with $36,643, had average individual taxable incomes higher than the state average while in the Murray Lands SD the average was $32,213. In the Adelaide SD, the Eastern Adelaide SSD had the highest average at $44,659.

For LGAs in Regional SA the average annual individual taxable income ranged from $53,098 in Roxby Downs (M) in the state's far north to $30,262 in Ceduna (DC) on the far west coast of the state.

Seventeen LGAs in Regional SA had average individual annual taxable incomes greater than the Adelaide SD's average of $36,865, the most notable being Roxby Downs (M), Barunga West (DC), with $46,290, Lower Eyre Peninsula (DC), $42,734, Kimba (DC), $42,353 and Cleve (DC), $40,727. The last three LGAs are located within the Eyre SD.


INCOME SUPPORT

With 26.7% of South Australia's total population, Regional SA had similar levels of persons receiving various income support assistance for all but one of the income support assistance categories included here from the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services. As at June 2003 there were 12,935 persons (28.1% of the state's total) in Regional SA receiving Newstart Allowance, 46,135 (26.6%) receiving an Age Pension and 17,055 (26.5%) receiving a Disability Support Pension. There were proportionally fewer Youth Allowance recipients in Regional SA (6,707 persons or 20.6% of the state's total).

The Northern SD, with 5.1% of South Australia's population, had 3,948 persons, or 8.6% of the state's total, receiving Newstart Allowance and 8,743 persons (5.0% of the state's total) receiving an Age Pension. The Outer Adelaide SD, with 7.8% of South Australia's population, had 2,562 persons, or 5.6% of the state's total, receiving Newstart Allowance and 13,146 persons (7.6%) receiving an Age Pension.


BUILDING APPROVALS

In the year ended 30 June 2003 there were 10,581 new residential dwelling units approved in South Australia. In Regional SA there were 3,224 new residential dwelling units approved (30.5% of the state's total).

The pattern of increasing numbers of new residential dwelling approvals for the state reversed in 2002–03 with a 2.7% drop in the number of new residential dwelling approvals. Regional SA approvals decreased by 12.2% over the same period. Only the Adelaide, Yorke and Lower North and South East SDs recorded an increase in new residential approvals. The number of approvals increased by 25.5% (from 353 in 2001–02 to 443 in 2002–03) for the Yorke and Lower North SD. Increases for South East SD and Adelaide SD were 4.5% (from 398 to 416) and 2.1% (from 7,207 to 7,357) respectively.

Despite the drop in the number of new residential dwelling unit approvals, the value of new residential dwelling unit approvals for South Australia rose by 14.8% to $1,384.6m from $1,206.6m in the previous year. The value of new residential dwelling unit approvals for Regional SA increased slightly from $382.3m to $386.8m.

Onkaparinga (C) (1,076) and Salisbury (C) (979) continued to have the greatest number of approvals for new residential dwellings in the Adelaide SD. The values of these approvals were $115.9m and $122.1m respectively. The LGAs in Regional SA with the greatest number of approvals of new residential dwellings were Mount Barker (DC) with 362, Alexandrina (DC) with 330 and Victor Harbor (C) with 270.

The value of non-residential buildings in South Australia increased from $808.0m in 2001–02 to $1,010.3m in 2002–03. The value of non-residential building approvals showed a decrease in the Murray Lands SD and the Northern SD. The largest absolute increase occurred in the Adelaide SD where the value of non-residential building rose by $185.2m (29.8%) from $622.1m in 2001–02 to $807.3m in 2002–03, while the largest proportional increase occurred in the Outer Adelaide SD where there was a 50.3% increase from $63.0m to $94.7m.

Overall, the value of non-residential building approvals in Regional SA rose from $185.9m to $203.0m. Within the Adelaide SD the Northern Adelaide SSD (up from $147.3m to $287.1m, or 94.9%) and Southern Adelaide SSD (up from $65.2m to $123.4m, or 89.3%) recorded the greatest increases in the value of non-residential building approvals, while the Eastern Adelaide SSD recorded a fall (down from $303.9m to $285.2m, 6.2%). The Northern Adelaide SSD LGAs of Playford (C) and Salisbury (C) recorded increases in the value of non-residential approvals of $115.6m and $47.1m respectively while the Southern Adelaide SSD LGAs of Mitcham (C) and Marion (C) showed increases of $43.1m and $4.1m respectively.

The most notable increases outside of the Adelaide SD occurred in the Outer Adelaide SDs of Light (RegC) where the value of non-residential building approvals rose from $5.5m in 2001–02 to $26.8m in 2002–03 and Kangaroo Island (DC) with an increase from $1.0m to $10.3m.

NUMBER OF NEW RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNITS,
Statistical Divisions, Percentage change from 30 June 2002 to 30 June 2003

Graph; Number of new residential dwelling units, Statistical Divisions,% change 30 June 2002 to 30 June 2003



PROPERTY SALES

The pattern of increasing numbers of residential property sales since 1997-98 in South Australia reversed in 2002–03 with 38,623 sales, a decrease of 4.2% on the previous year. In Regional SA sales rose 2.8% from 10,027 to 10,306. In the Adelaide SD the number of sales decreased 6.5% from 30,287 in 2001–02 to 28,317 in 2002–03. All SDs in the state, other than Murray Lands, Eyre and Northern, recorded a decrease in the number of residential property sales.

The average value of residential property sales for 2002–03 in South Australia rose 23.0% (from $165,900 to $204,000) from the previous year. The average in Regional SA rose 19.3% to $138,500 compared with a 24.9% rise to $227,800 for the Adelaide SD. Since 1997–98 the average value of residential property sales in South Australia has increased by 64.6%, Regional SA has increased by 59.0%, while the Adelaide SD has increased by 68.1%.

In 2002–03 the average residential sale price in the Outer Adelaide SD of $193,600 was over double that in the Northern SD ($78,500). High average residential property sale prices for 2002–03 were recorded in Unley (C) ($453,200), Walkerville (M) ($446,300) and Burnside (C) ($377,100) while lower averages were recorded in Peterborough (DC) ($41,000) and Coober Pedy (DC) ($47,100).

AVERAGE VALUE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SALES
Statistical Divisions, June 2001-02 and June 2002-03
Graph: AVERAGE VALUE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SALES by Statistical Division, 2001-02 and 2002-03



LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE

For the year ended 30 June 2003 the total outlay on goods, services and land by local government in South Australia increased by $65.7m (6.4%) to $1,099.4m. In Regional SA there was an increase of $22.7m (5.9%) to $406.3m. Outlay on infrastructure in Regional SA accounted for 24.8% ($100.6m), a decrease over the previous year of 13.8% ($16.0m), of the total outlay, while outlay on environmental services accounted for 10.8% ($43.7m), a decrease of 2.7% ($1.2m). For the Adelaide SD outlay on infrastructure and environmental services in 2002–03 accounted for 14.4% (16.3% in 2001-02) and 13.3% (14.2% in 2001-02) respectively of the total outlay on goods, services and land.

In Regional SA significant increases in the total outlay on goods, services and land between 2001–02 and 2002–03 were recorded in the South East SD (from $53.9m to $61.2m, 13.5%) and Murray Lands SD (from $63.4m to $71.4m, 12.6%). The Adelaide SD recorded an increase of 6.6% (from $650.1m to $693.1m).

Rates per rateable property vary considerably across the state ranging from $2,271 in Adelaide (C) and $1,119 in Tatiara (DC) to $364 in Orroroo/Carrieton (DC). In 2002–03 the average rates per rateable property was $805 for South Australia, $709 for Regional SA and $851 in the Adelaide SD. Yorke and Lower North SD had the lowest average with $569.


NEW MOTOR VEHICLE SALES

In the year ended 30 June 2003 the number of new motor vehicle sales in South Australia increased by 11.5% to 56,610 from 50,756 in 2002. New motor vehicle sales in Regional SA rose from 12,196 in 2002 to 12,402 in 2003, an increase of 1.7%. Between 2001–02 and 2002–03 the Adelaide SD showed a 14.0% increase in new motor vehicle sales and for the Outer Adelaide SD the increase was 7.4%, while the number of new motor vehicle sales decreased in the Yorke and Lower North, South East and Northern SDs.

Regional areas with the largest increases of new motor vehicle sales were Light (RegC) (from 234 to 325), Berri and Barmera (DC) (from 432 to 505) and Port Lincoln (C) (from 351 to 403). In the Adelaide SD, Playford (C) and Mitcham (C) showed significant rises in new motor vehicle sales, from 2,443 to 3,381 (an increase of 38.4%) and from 3,069 to 3,832 (24.8%) respectively.