ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

This publication presents a statistical overview of sports and physical recreation in Australia. The information is drawn from a variety of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data sources.

Wherever possible, the information contained in this publication has been presented in accordance with the Australian Culture and Leisure Classifications (ACLC). They comprise three separate classifications, covering culture and leisure related industries, products and occupations. For details refer to Australian Culture and Leisure Classifications, 2008 (Second Edition) (cat. no. 4902.0).

This ABS publication is the eighth statistical overview on sports and physical recreation produced by the National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics (NCCRS). Data have been updated where new data were available at the time of release.

The chapters updated in this edition (2009) are as follows:

• Chapter 3 Participation in sport and recreation - contains new data on participation in exercise;
• Chapter 8 Employment - contains new data on average weekly earnings of persons employed in sports and physical recreation industries;
• Chapter 10 Facilities - contains new data on engineering construction of sports and physical recreation facilities;
• Chapter 11 Industries - contains new data on toy and sporting goods manufacturing; and
• Chapter 12 Products - contains new data on exports and imports of selected sports and physical recreation goods.

All other data appearing in the 2009 Edition is the same as 2008 Edition 2.

New chapters included in this edition (2009) are as follows:

• Chapter 6 Sport and social capital; and
• Chapter 9 Volunteers in sport.

Care must be taken in comparing data from different sources presented in this publication due to differences in survey methodology, definitions and reference periods. For ABS sources, information on data quality is available (e.g. standard errors).

While this publication provides substantial detail, intentionally, it is an overview of the sports and physical recreation sector, and the information is not exhaustive. More comprehensive data are available from the ABS on many of the aspects of the sports and physical recreation sector highlighted in this publication.


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This ABS publication was produced by NCCRS and made possible with funding assistance from the Sport and Recreation Ministers Council (SRMC) and the Standing Committee on Recreation and Sport (SCORS).

All ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated: without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.


ROUNDING

Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between the sum of component items and the published total.


MORE INFORMATION ON ABS SPORTS AND PHYSICAL RECREATION STATISTICS

Information about ABS activities in the field of sports and physical recreation statistics is available from the Culture and Recreation theme page on the ABS web site. This theme page also contains information about the role of the NCCRS within the ABS. To access the Culture and Recreation theme page, select People under Themes from the menu on the left hand side of the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or the National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics on Adelaide (08) 8237 7602, email <nccrs@abs.gov.au>.


SUMMARY COMMENTARY