LANEWAYS
A MESSAGE FROM THE VICTORIAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Welcome to the final edition of the Statistics Victoria Newsletter. You may have also noticed the latest State and Regional Indicators, Victoria (cat. no. 1367.2), released in February 2011, was that publication's final issue.
A new State and Territory Statistical Indicators (cat. no. 1367.0) publication is currently being developed for release in July 2011, and is intended to replace both Victoria's indicator publication and newsletter. The new product will make it easier to locate comparable data, events, training courses and information seminars across the jurisdictions, while at the same time highlighting state indicators and statistical news. Content will also be more timely than at present, with on-going rolling updates improving on the previous quarterly cycle. Key indicators will be presented graphically, along with some descriptive and explanatory comments, and the occasional feature article. I look forward to this new product increasing our ability to inform and engage with the broader statistical community and in short, you the reader.
The 2011 Census is almost here (9 August 2011) and the ABS Census Management Unit in Victoria are going full steam ahead with all the necessary preparation. With the increase in household internet facilities, the ABS is encouraging people to fill in their Census forms online using the eCensus. One feature of eCensus is that census forms are able to be resumed allowing respondents to save partially completed Census forms, and return to complete them later. Another important feature of eCensus is the first-rate security used to protect the privacy of all personal information collected. It provides strong protection against malicious attacks from the internet, as well as data encryption to ensure that only authorised ABS officers can view respondent data. It is anticipated that over one-third of the Australian public will use the eCensus to complete their 2011 Census form.
I would also like to take this opportunity to briefly mention a few of the exciting events and initiatives the ABS has been involved in over the last few months, and to thank all those involved in making them a success. Firstly, the ABS Stats Show (April 2011), highlighted the range of ABS services and products available to the Victorian State Government (VSG), including the ABS Resource page. The ABS Resource page is part of the VPS intranet and has direct links to resources on the ABS website, such as the Understanding Statistics Portal, Statistical Training Courses, the Geography Portal and the National Statistical Services website. Secondly, over the last month a series of information sessions have been held in Melbourne to promote, and continue the ongoing broader communication around, the new Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) and its implementation, beginning July 2011, across ABS statistical programs.
You'll find more information about various ABS activities in Victoria including those noted above, as well as recent ABS releases, as you browse through this issue of the Statistics Victoria newsletter.
I'd like to take this final opportunity to thank you all for ongoing interest in, and support of, the ABS.
Lane Masterton
Regional Director
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