4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 2000  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/06/2000   
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MEDIA RELEASE

June 28, 2000
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
86/2000


Attention Chiefs of Staff and News Editors
News diary alert..... News diary alert..... News diary alert.....

Australian Social Trends 2000 to be released 4 July

The Australian Bureau of Statistics will release the seventh edition of Australian Social Trends 2000 (cat. no. 4102.0) on Tuesday 4 July 2000.

Australian Social Trends 2000 profiles Australian society and looks at the changes in the nation's social conditions and well-being. The publication features 30 articles, within seven chapters, on topics concerning general social conditions, families, health, education and training, work, income and housing. These provide a great insight into Australian society at the turn of the millennium.

This alert is to aid your planning and research by giving you advance notice of the release of this major publication.

The publication is a source for a wide variety of stories and a full list and synopsis of the articles is attached.

A media release with some summary information will be widely distributed. However please note that the publication will be boxed at the Canberra Press Gallery by request only. The publication will also be available for collection on the day from our state offices in each capital city, again by request.

AUSTRALIAN SOCIAL TRENDS 2000: LIST OF CONTENTS

Population Chapter

    20th century: beginning and end — provides contrasting snapshots of Australia at the beginning and the end of the 20th century.

    Regional populations: growth and decline compares growth in the capital cities and elsewhere. Includes information on specific areas with high population growth or losses.

    Socio-economic disadvantage across urban, rural and remote areas examines the geographic pattern of socio-economic disadvantage in Australia.

    Social conditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people gives comparative information on education, employment, income and health. It also looks at imprisonment rates.
Family Chapter

    Children with parents with a disability — details the number of children concerned, and the type and severity of the parent's disability. Many children played a role in caring for the parent.

    Young adults living in the parental home examines the trend for a greater proportion of people aged in their 20s to live in their parents' home, in relation to participation in education and labour force status.

    People without partners there has been an increase over the decade to 1996 in the proportion of people living without partners. This article gives an overview of their marital status and living arrangements, and investigates their well-being.

    Formal respite care examines the use of respite care services by primary carers of people with severe disabilities. Also covers unmet need, and people's reasons for not using respite services.

    Cultural diversity within marriages the marriage patterns of overseas-born, second-generation and long-time Australians are featured here. The review highlights an increase in mixed marriages.

Health Chapter
    Suicide gives background on trends in suicide since 1921, and detailed information on more recent patterns of suicide.

    Accidental drowning an overview of recent patterns of drowning, by age and sex of victims, and the locations and circumstances of drownings.

    Trends in smoking gives information on changes in smoking habits between 1977 and 1995, and on differences in smoking prevalence by age, sex, occupation, educational attainment, etc.

    Cancer screening this report describes screening rates for breast and cervical cancer, together with information on risk factors, and trends in death rates.

Education Chapter
    Disability and schooling gives an overview of the participation of children with a disability in schooling (in both regular and special schools).

    Beyond compulsory schooling — describes how tertiary students have become older and a greater proportion are women. It also describes increases in numbers enrolled in degree courses, that they are more likely to hold other post-school qualifications, plus the trend to study full-time.

    Mature age people in education and training — mature age people are much more likely to undertake a work-related training course than a course in formal education. While participation rates in formal education among 35-64 year olds are relatively low, they are increasing.

    Developments in contracted training: apprentices and trainees the recent emergence of traineeships is described against the background of the apprentice system. The report focusses on the numbers, and age and sex, of apprentices and trainees in trade-related occupations.

Work Chapter
    Employment arrangements in the late 1990s — monitoring the move away from traditional work arrangements, this review looks at contemporary employment arrangements, and indicators of employment security, by industry and occupation, sex and age.

    Long-term unemployment — describes trends in long-term unemployment and at some of the groups at greatest risk.

    Retrenchment and redundancy examines differences in retrenchment rates over time, then by industry, occupation and various demographics. It also explores reasons for being retrenched and outcomes for those affected in terms of their subsequent labour force status.

    Retirement and retirement intentions — looks at the retirement patterns of men aged 45 years and over, along with reasons for retiring, main sources of income at retirement, and, for those not yet retired, their retirement intentions.

    Trade union members there has been a marked decline in trade union membership through the 1990s. This article looks at the catalysts of change and how the declines have differed between industries.

Income Chapter
    Trends in earnings distribution the difference in earnings between low and high income earners in full-time jobs has been increasing. The inequalities have been more marked in the private sector.

    Female/male earnings this article tracks changes in the ratio of female/male earnings over the last decade. It also looks at differences in earnings among those in different age, occupation and industry groups.

    Interstate income inequality — average incomes, and earnings, differ between residents of States and Territories for various reasons. Variations in patterns of employment, workforce composition, housing costs and living standards are explored .

    Income support for children — income support for children began when Child Endowment was introduced in 1941. Greater targeting of payments over recent decades has provided more support to those in low income families. This review describes these changes and the numbers that have been supported by family payments.
Housing Chapter
    Housing costs these make up a large part of the budget for many households, but the amounts vary according to household circumstances. This review describes such differences and those at greatest risk of housing-related income stress.

    Housing in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is seen to be relatively poor by general community standards. Problems with drinking water, electricity and sewerage systems are also described.

    Caravan park residents this article profiles caravan park residents in 1996, and shows they tend to be older, less likely to be employed and more likely to have lower incomes than the general population.

    Home fire safety this review looks at loss of life from house fires, some of their common causes and the prevalence of fire safety measures currently being employed in Australian homes.