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Feature Article - Western Australia: A Small Area Perspective POPULATION CHANGE, Largest and fastest growing LGAs,1999-2000 to 2000-01
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles. Three of the five LGAs with the largest population growth in 2000-01 (compared with 1999-2000) were located on the outer fringes of the Perth Statistical Division and associated with affordable and low density residential housing developments (see also the section on Residential Building Approvals). The southern coastal Cities of Rockingham and Mandurah are popular retirement areas. A significant proportion of growth in these LGAs in 2000-01 comprised people aged 55 years or older - 32.5% in the City of Rockingham and 51.1% in the City of Mandurah. The City of Perth had the fastest growing population in 2000-01, up 9.0% albeit from a relatively low base population. The LGA is characterised by higher density residential living and a heavy concentration of families identified as DINKs (double income, no kids). The next four fastest growing LGAs were located outside the Perth metropolitan area. The Shire of Broome, a popular Kimberley tourist destination, was the fastest growing regional LGA (up 6.4%), with the Shires of Capel, on the urban fringe of Bunbury, and Halls Creek in the Kimberley recording the next fastest growth (both up 6.2%). POPULATION CHANGE, Largest and fastest declining LGAs,1999-2000 to 2000-01
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles. LGAs recording the largest and fastest population declines in 2000-01 were in mining areas. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder experienced the largest decline, down 373 people (-1.2%) while a decline of 227 people in the Shire of Leonora translated to the state's fastest rate of LGA population decline (-10.3%). PEOPLE BORN OVERSEAS At the 2001 Census, 31.3% of Western Australia's population (568,832 people) were born overseas compared with 27.4% (478,011 people) at the 1996 Census, an indication of the states' increasingly multicultural society. The most common birthplaces included the United Kingdom and Ireland, Southern Europe, South-East Asia and New Zealand. PEOPLE BORN OVERSEAS, LGAs with the largest number and proportion, 2001
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Census of Population and Housing. The largest number and proportion of overseas-born people resided in LGAs in the Perth Statistical Division. Just over one quarter (26.2%) of the state's overseas-born population were located in the northern metropolitan Cities of Joondalup, Wanneroo and Stirling. The United Kingdom and Ireland (collectively) were the dominant birthplaces in these LGAs, accounting for 49.5%, 38.9% and 23.6% respectively of their overseas-born populations. The City of Perth was the only LGA in the state in which more than half (52.4%) of the population was overseas-born. People born in the United Kingdom and Ireland accounted for the largest proportion of the overseas-born population, albeit a relatively low 13.3%, an indication of the multicultural spread within the LGA. REPORTED OFFENCES Reported offences are selected criminal offences reported to, or becoming known to, the Western Australian police and resulting in the creation of a report. In 2001-02, there were 271,072 offences reported in Western Australia (142.2 offences per 1,000 persons), an increase of 1.6% compared with the 266,694 offences reported in 2000-01 (141.9 offences per 1,000 persons). The most common offences were theft (35.2% of total reported offences), burglary (22.6%) and property damage (13.5%). REPORTED OFFENCES, LGAs with the largest number and highest rate(a), Perth Statistical Division, 2001-02
(a) per 1,000 of estimated resident population at 30 June 2001. Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Western Australian Police Service, Offence Information System. The five Perth Statistical Division LGAs with the largest number of reported offences accounted for 30.7% of total offences reported in Western Australia in 2001-02. A notable proportion of the total offences reported in the City of Perth were committed against the person (9.8%) - mostly assault and robbery. The equivalent proportion for the state was 7.5%. This LGA also had a high proportion of property theft (44.7%) compared with the state equivalent of 35.2%, but a relatively low proportion of burglaries (11.6% compared with 22.6% for the state). The proportion of offences related to the trafficking or possession of drugs was also notable in the City of Perth at 8.1% of that LGAs total reported offences (5.7% for the state equivalent). Graffiti offences were particularly notable in the Cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup, accounting for 16.6% and 13.3% (respectively) of each City's total reported offences, the state equivalent being 5.2%. To enable comparisons of reported offences data to be made across LGAs of differing population sizes, a generally adopted practice is to present the data as a rate. For the purposes of this analysis, the data has been presented per 1,000 of the population of each LGA. In 2001-02, the City of Perth (1,853.1 offences per 1,000 population) ranked highest followed by the City of Fremantle (345.6 offences per 1,000 population). Rates for these LGAs should be interpreted with caution as the Cities experience high numbers of people moving through their business, shopping and recreation areas who live outside the City boundaries. The Town of Victoria Park recorded the next highest rate (276.2 offences per 1,000 population) followed by the adjacent Cities of Belmont (250.8) and South Perth (198.3). The City of Stirling, with the largest number of reported offences, recorded a rate of 161.7 offences per 1,000 population. REPORTED OFFENCES, LGAs with the largest number and highest rate(a), Balance of state, 2001-02
(a) per 1,000 of estimated resident population at 30 June 2001. Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Western Australian Police Service, Offence Information System. Compared with the largest Perth LGAs, in terms of number of reported offences, the largest country LGAs had much higher proportions of their respective total offences in the property damage category (particularly in the Cities of Geraldton and Albany), generally higher proportions in the assault category (particularly the City of Geraldton) and drugs category (notably the City of Albany), and much lower proportions in the graffiti category. In respect of offence rates, the Shire of Dundas recorded the highest offence rate of 529.3 reported offences per 1,000 population. Nearly seven in every ten (68.0%) of reported offences in this LGA were drug offences. Burglary and property damage offences were prominent in the Shire of Meekatharra (collectively accounting for 57.8% of the Shire's total reported offences) and Mullewa (61.2%). Assault offences in the Shire of Laverton accounted for 34.1% of that Shire's total reported offences. HOUSEHOLD INCOME Household income is affected by the number of income earners in the household aged 15 years and over as well as the amount of income earned by each individual. At the 2001 census, the median weekly household income for Western Australian households was $781. The median weekly income for households in the Perth Statistical Division was $806 compared with $710 for the balance of the state. MEDIAN WEEKLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME, LGAs with the highest income, 2001
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Census of Population and Housing. The Shire of Peppermint Grove in the Perth Statistical Division had Western Australia's highest median weekly household income ($1,604), more than double the state's median weekly household income. The top four Perth Statistical Division LGAs are characterised by high levels of people in managerial, administration and professional occupations. In the City of Joondalup, occupations are more evenly divided between professionals (with a significant proportion of qualifications related to Engineering and related technologies); intermediate clerical, sales and service workers; and tradespersons. There were 12 Western Australian LGAs (including the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Shire of Leonora) with median weekly household incomes over $1,000, seven being country LGAs. Employment in these LGAs is concentrated in the resources industry, where employees receive, on average, high wages and salaries. The average annual remuneration per employee in the Resources industry over the five years to 1999-2000 was $64,900 - refer to The Resources Industry in Western Australia, available from this web site (Themes>Western Australia>Articles of interest on Western Australia). MEDIAN WEEKLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME, LGAs with the lowest income, 2001
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Census of Population and Housing. Of Perth Statistical Division LGAs with the lowest median weekly household incomes, the City of Belmont ranked lowest at $627. The City is characterised by relatively high levels of one parent families, people aged 60 years and over, rented dwellings and unemployment, characteristics that were also found in the City of Fremantle and the Town of Victoria Park. The Town of Kwinana, ranked second lowest at $638, had relatively high levels of one parent families and unemployment as well as high levels of people without qualifications, while the City of Perth had a significant number of lone person households (27.2%). Of the 112 country LGAs, 52 had median weekly household incomes below Perth's lowest ranked City of Belmont. The Shire of Wickepin, one of three eastern wheatbelt Shires (the others being Pingelly and Trayning) represented in the five lowest country LGAs, recorded the state's lowest median weekly household income of $454, 41.9% below the median income for Western Australia. Around four in five persons aged 15 years and over in these shires do not have qualifications, with more common occupations including labourers and related workers and tradespersons and related workers. The Shires of Menzies and Wiluna have significant proportions of indigenous people with more common occupations including intermediate production and transport workers; tradespersons; and labourers. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE The unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed persons as a proportion of the number of persons in the labour force (the total of employed and unemployed persons). A person is defined as unemployed only if they are actively looking for full-time or part-time employment and are available to start work. At the 2001 Census, 7.5% (67,478 persons) of Western Australia's labour force reported being unemployed. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, LGAs with the highest rate, 2001
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Census of Population and Housing Of the five Perth Statistical Division LGAs with the highest unemployment rates, four (the exception was the City of Rockingham) also featured as LGAs with the lowest median weekly household incomes. The Town of Kwinana and the City of Rockingham were also notable for high proportions of their respective populations aged 15 years or over that do not have qualifications. All five also had significant youth (persons aged 15 to 24 years) unemployment rates ranging from 17.1% in the City of Rockingham to 21.5% in the Town of Kwinana. Of the 13 Western Australian LGAs with unemployment rates of 10.0% or more, 11 were located in the balance of the state. The highest rates were the regional centres of the City of Geraldton and the City of Mandurah, with nearby LGAs - the Shire of Irwin to the south of Geraldton; and the Shire of Murray adjacent to Mandurah - also amongst the highest unemployment rates. These four LGAs had high proportions of people without qualifications and also had high youth unemployment rates ranging from 21.1% to 23.1%. COMPUTER AND INTERNET USE The use of computers at home and of the Internet at home and elsewhere has become widespread in Western Australia. A growing number of people have access to a computer at home and a large proportion of the state's Internet users live in locations with greater access to the Internet (e.g. from public libraries, Internet cafes, shops and educational institutions). At the 2001 Census, 793,558 Western Australians (43.3%) reported using a computer at home and 703,029 (38.4%) reported accessing the Internet at home and elsewhere. COMPUTER USE AT HOME, LGAs with the largest proportion of users, 2001
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Census of Population and Housing. The Shire of Peppermint Grove recorded the state's highest proportion of people using a computer at home (64.2%). Data from the 2001 Census indicates that the five Perth Statistical Division LGAs with the largest proportion of home computer users had high percentages of high income households; and managers, administrators and professionals. These LGAs also had high percentages of people with university qualifications with the exception of the developing City of Joondalup which had notably high percentages of people with skilled vocational qualifications. In country Western Australia, LGAs recording high proportions of computer use at home were located in the north-eastern wheatbelt (including the Shire of Mount Marshall, which had the highest use of all country LGAs, and the Shire of Nungarin) and the northern and eastern parts of the Great Southern (including the Shires of Kent and Broomehill). This would indicate the reliance of farming communities on information technology for business, education and communication. USE OF THE INTERNET ANYWHERE USE OF THE INTERNET ANYWHERE, LGAs with the largest proportion of users, 2001
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Census of Population and Housing. The high use of computers at home also translated into high Internet use for three of the top Perth Statistical Division LGAs (the Shire of Peppermint Grove, the state's highest user at 63.2%; the Town of Cottesloe; and the City of Nedlands) and three of the top country LGAs (the Shires of Nungarin, Mount Marshall and Kent). The Shire of Roebourne, with Internet use by 37.8% of its population, includes the massive North West Shelf oil and gas projects. EDUCATION: SCHOOL STUDENT POPULATIONS In 2001, there were 314,544 primary and secondary school students in Western Australian government and non-government schools, an increase of 5,868 students (1.9%) compared with 1996. Three in every five students in 2001 attended primary schools, while seven in every ten (70.3%) attended government schools (down from 73.4% in 1996). The majority (71.4%) of students in 2001 attended schools located in the Perth Statistical Division. SCHOOL STUDENTS(a), Largest growing LGAs, 1996 to 2001
(a) Primary and secondary students enrolled in government and non-government schools. Excludes pre-schools. (b) From 1 July 1998, the City of Wanneroo was split to form the City of Wanneroo and the City of Joondalup. The student increase shown is between the City of Wanneroo in 1996 and the combined Cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup in 2001. Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Education Department of Western Australia. In the Perth Statistical Division, the Cities of Rockingham, Wanneroo/Joondalup (combined) and Swan recorded the highest growth in student numbers over the five years to 2001. These LGAs have experienced strong resident population growth over this period. The City of Rockingham recorded the largest increase in school student population, the majority of the increase (57.3%) comprising primary school students. In this LGA in 2001, almost two in every three students (65.7%) attended primary schools compared with the state proportion of 60.3%. Similar growth in student numbers occurred in the combined Cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup and in the City of Swan, with higher proportions of students in these LGAs attending primary schools than the state proportion. Each of these high student growth areas had relatively high proportions of the resident population aged 5-14 years, a group encompassing primary school students. Of students attending schools in the City of Melville, 48.0% attended primary schools, the lower proportion attributable to a relatively high number of secondary schools (and high secondary school population) located in this LGA. In the balance of the state, regional centres south of Perth recorded the largest growth in school student numbers over the five years to 2001, driven by expanding resident populations. Urban spread associated with the City of Bunbury has resulted in expanding school student numbers in the adjacent Shires of Harvey and Dardanup. The proportion of primary school students in these high growth LGAs were mainly below the state proportion in 2001, except for Dardanup Shire which only catered for primary school students. HOME OWNERSHIP At the 2001 Census, an equal proportion (36.0%) of dwellings in the Perth Statistical Division and the Balance of Western Australia were owned outright. By contrast, just over one third (34.1%) of dwellings in the Perth Statistical Division were being purchased compared with one quarter of dwellings in the rest of the state. Renting is more prevalent outside Perth, most notably in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions. DWELLINGS OWNED OUTRIGHT DWELLINGS OWNED OUTRIGHT, LGAs with the highest proportion in 2001
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Census of Population and Housing. In the Perth Statistical Division, the highest proportion of dwellings owned outright were in older established LGAs. The Shire of Peppermint Grove had the highest proportion, approaching three in every five dwellings (57.6%) while half of the dwellings in the City of Nedlands were owner-occupied. The highest proportions of owner-occupancy in the balance of the state were in wheatbelt shires, the Shire of Wickepin recording the highest in the state with two-thirds (66.4%) of dwellings owned outright. Another 40 of the 112 country LGAs recorded proportions of 50.0% or more. DWELLINGS BEING PURCHASED, LGAs with the highest proportion in 2001
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Census of Population and Housing. Of the ten LGAs with the highest proportion of dwellings being purchased, eight were located in the Perth Statistical Division. LGAs in Perth's urban fringe, where substantial residential development has occurred in recent years, recorded the highest proportions. In the City of Wanneroo, every second home (48.7% of dwellings) was being purchased. Country LGAs with the highest proportion of dwellings being purchased were mainly located in the state's south-west. The Shire of Collie had the highest proportion (43.4%) while the Shires of Capel and Dardanup (39.7% and 36.0% respectively) are being impacted by residential development associated with the City of Bunbury's urban spread. RESIDENTIAL BUILDING APPROVALS Residential dwelling approvals over the three financial years to 2001-02 have been significantly affected by The New Tax System, in particular the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and by the First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) both effective from July 2000. Dwelling approvals in 2000-01 were subdued partly due to new home buyers bringing forward their building plans to avoid increased construction costs associated with the introduction of the GST in July 2000. Other contributing factors were rises in both official interest rates in the first half of 2000-01 and in the cost of new homes. The doubling of the initial $7,000 FHOG to $14,000 in March 2001 (reverting to $10,000 on 1 January 2002) together with falling interest rates provided a significant stimulus to dwelling approvals which rebounded strongly in 2001-02. In 2001-02, there were 20,025 new dwellings approved (worth $2,592.6 million), an increase of 37.2% (or 5,426 dwellings) compared with 2000-01. Nearly three in four (73.4%) residential dwellings approved in 2001-02 were located in the Perth Statistical Division. DWELLING UNITS APPROVED, Top 10 LGAs
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles. LGAs prominent in dwelling approval activity in Perth Statistical Division in 2001-02 were:
Of the top 10 LGAs in 2001-02 located outside the Perth Statistical Division:
MINERAL AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTION The Resources industry dominates the Western Australian economy - refer to The Resources Industry in Western Australia, available from this web site (Themes>Western Australia>Articles of interest on Western Australia). In 2001, the state's mineral and petroleum production was valued at $27,190.9 million, up 5.8% compared with 2000 ($25,704.3 million). The increase in 2001 was, in part, due to the devaluation of the Australian dollar against the US dollar, which particularly supported the value of iron ore, alumina and gold production. Contractual arrangements made earlier in 2001 that achieved higher commodity prices, particularly for LNG and iron ore, also contributed to the increase as did the expansion of some mining operations and an alumina refinery expansion. Seven commodities dominated production in 2001, with iron ore contributing $5,245.9 million; crude oil $4,246.6 million; alumina $3,766.5 million; gold $3,227.6 million; liquefied natural gas (LNG) $2,901.3 million; nickel $2,081.3 million; and condensate $1,787.9 million. VALUE OF MINERAL AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTION, Top 10 LGAs
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; WA Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Mineral and Petroleum Statistics Digest. Extraction of the major mineral and petroleum commodities are centred on three areas of the state: the Pilbara (petroleum products and iron ore); Goldfields (gold and nickel) and southern Darling Scarp (alumina).
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES The marine environment, and the living natural resources it supports, is one of Western Australia's most valuable sustainable assets. In 2000-01, the estimated commercial fishing catch from the state's ocean and estuarine resources was valued at $415.8 million, down by 21.4% compared with 1999-2000 ($528.7 million). This follows increases of 36.9% in 1999-2000 and 19.1% in 1998-99. Factors determining the estimated value of the state's commercial fishing catch include international demand for species; natural environmental variations; and management controls to ensure that fisheries remain sustainable. ESTIMATED VALUE OF FISHING CATCH(a)(b), Top 10 LGAs
(a) Excludes Commonwealth managed fisheries. (b) Data relate to the port of landing of the catch. Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; WA Department of Fisheries. The value of Western Australia's commercial fisheries catch is dominated by the rock lobster fishery (mainly western rock lobster but also including southern and tropical lobsters). This fishery represented 72.1% of the value of the state's fishing catch in 2000-01 and around 62.4% of Australia's rock lobster fishery. Nine of the ten LGAs with the highest estimated value of fishing catch are dominated by the western rock lobster fishery, the general decline in catch value in 2000-01 resulting from natural environment variations. LGA catch data from year-to-year may vary as fishermen move from one landing port to another. Of the top ten LGAs with the highest estimated fishing catch by value in 2000-01:
FORESTRY PRODUCTION In February 2001, the Western Australian government ended logging in all old-growth forests vested with the Conservation Commission of Western Australia. It also began a process of creating two new conservation parks and 30 new national parks, including 12 new national parks promised under the Western Australian Regional Forest Agreement. A number of changes to forestry guidelines were also made to further ensure forest management consistent with the principles of ecological sustainability, all of which has had a significant impact on state forestry production. Log production of 1,479,490 cubic metres was recorded in Western Australia in 2000-01, down 16.2% from the 1,766,184 cubic metres harvested in 1999-2000. In the four years to 2000-01, the state's log production has fallen, in volume terms, at an annual average rate of 7.4%. FORESTRY PRODUCTION, Top 10 LGAs
Source: ABS 2002 Regional Profiles; Department of Conservation and Land Management. Most of Western Australia's native hardwood forests grow in the south-west of the state, with log production centred on the shires of Manjimup, Donnybrook-Balingup and Nannup. The total contribution of these three shires to state log production has declined from 63.5% in 1998-99 to 52.0% in 2000-01. The first ranked Shire of Manjimup recorded the largest decline in production quantity over this period, down 332,868 cubic metres (48.1%). Four shires increased their log production in 2000-01 - Donnybrook-Balingup, Murray, Augusta-Margaret River and Bridgetown-Greenbushes - by a combined total of 204,683 cubic metres. Part of log production in the Murray Shire, and in the sixth ranked Shire of Harvey, is attributable to clear felling associated with mining operations. Production in the one Perth metropolitan LGA, the City of Wanneroo, has been sustained by extensive harvesting of pine plantation timber. ABS REGIONAL PROFILES Western Australian Regional Profiles provide access to social, economic and environmental data for Local Government Areas, Statistical Sub-Divisions, Statistical Divisions and Development Commission Regions. They are available in hardcopy and electronic format. The profiles use data from the ABS and other Commonwealth, state and local government agencies. Data are provided as tables, graphs and time series data and presented as:
Profiles also enable comparison of a specified area (LGA, SSD, SD or DCR) with a number of other LGAs, SSDs, SDs or DCRs. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION For more information about the 2002 Regional Profiles, either visit More About the RSUs (Themes>Regional Statistics>More About the RSUs) or contact Daniel Christensen on (08) 9360 5932 or by email: daniel.christensen@abs.gov.au. APPENDIX 1, STATISTICAL INDICATORS IN THE REGIONAL PROFILES SOCIAL INDICATORS Population and households Estimated resident population Estimated resident population, by age and sex Demographics Estimated and projected population Population characteristics Households and family types Nature of housing occupancy Weekly household income Social security recipients Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Religion Language spoken at home Country of birth Employment Labour force composition Unemployment rates Employed persons, by occupation Employed persons, by industry Employed persons, by industry sector Labour market Education and health Government schools Non-government schools Teaching staff Post school qualifications Attendance at educational institutions Hospital separations Computer and Internet use Computer use at home Internet use Crime and justice Fines and infringements Offences reported to the Western Australian Police Service ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS Agriculture, fisheries and forestry Agricultural production Value of agricultural production Land management Fisheries production Forestry production Vegetation Mining Value of minerals and petroleum Building and construction Residential building approvals Building activity Non-residential building activity Length of roads Finance Local Government Authority finances Income and taxation status Transport New motor vehicle registrations, by vehicle type Motor vehicles on register, by vehicle type Passenger vehicles on register, by make of vehicle Type of vehicle, by year of manufacture Method of travel to work Motor vehicles on register, by fuel type Tourism Tourist accommodation establishments Tourism developments Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.
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