OBJECTIVES OF THE 2006 SURVEY
The 2006 Time Use Survey was designed to identify
- unpaid work in the household and the breakdown of this work between men and women and by life stage;
- daily life patterns and support needs of various groups such as older persons, unemployed persons and persons with disabilities;
- labour force issues such as the comparison of the hours of paid work for men and women and barriers to work force participation;
- time spent on voluntary work, caring and other unpaid community work;
- patterns of leisure activity;
- transport issues;
- the production of services not included in estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP); and
- to make comparisons with the 1992 and 1997 surveys to identify changes in patterns of time use.
The survey also provides information on:
- balancing paid work with other aspects of life;
- caring for people with disabilities and frail older people;
- caring for children;
- community participation;
- fitness and health activities;
- travel;
- use of technology; and
- outsourcing of domestic tasks.