An error was detected in the coding of the data for Queensland which affected the male and female counts for the Queensland prison population. In effect, females were coded as males, and males as females. The reissued publication contains the corrected data. If you purchased this publication before 28 October 2003 you are entitled to a free replacement copy. Please contact the ABS' National Information and Referral Service (NIRS) on 1300 135 070.
INTRODUCTION
STATISTICS PRESENTED IN THIS PUBLICATION
This publication presents a range of social and housing statistics produced from the 2001 Census of Population and Housing for Queensland. For comparative purposes, it includes 1996 Census data presented on 2001 Census geography. In addition, selected 1901 Census data are included for each State in table 1 to mark Australia's Centenary of Federation in 2001. The tables in this publication provide selected characteristics of the population and their housing arrangements for Statistical Divisions(SDs), Statistical Subdivisions (SSDs) and Statistical Local Areas (SLAs). The purpose of these tables is to allow a broad comparison of characteristics between geographic areas. This publication also contains the Basic Community Profile (BCP) for Queensland. This set of tables is provided to illustrate the wide range of data available from the Census. The BCP consists of 33 tables. This publication contains the first 21 tables which focus on the social and housing characteristics. The remainder of the BCP, tables 22 to 33, will be published in Census of Population and Housing: Selected Education and Labour Force Characteristics for Statistical Local Areas, Queensland (Cat. no. 2017.3). The statistics in this publication are mostly presented on the basis of where people were counted on Census Night ('as enumerated' counts). Counts of people based on where they usually live ('usual residence' counts) are also provided.
POPULATION MEASURES
Census counts should not be confused with the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) official population estimate, the Estimated Resident Population (ERP) which is used for electoral purposes and in assisting in the distribution of government funds to state and local governments. ERP is the definitive population estimate and is derived from the census counts. For example, ERP includes an estimate of Australians temporarily overseas. For a fuller description of population measures and the derivation of ERP, please see paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 of the Explanatory Notes. Appendix 1 includes a table showing census counts and ERP for each State and Territory. One of the important features of the Census is that it describes the characteristics of Australia's population and housing for small geographic areas and small population groups. While not available in this publication, data at the smallest geographic level Collection District (CD) are available in a range of census products. For more information on these products, please refer to Appendix 2 - Census Products and Services. Concepts and definitions used in this publication are explained in the Glossary and more detailed information is available in the 2001 Census Dictionary (Cat. no. 2901.0). The Explanatory Notes in this publication provide a discussion of the scope and coverage of the Census, the different measures of population, and the limitations of census data. This publication is one of a series of publications which provide data at the SLA level for each State and Territory. A similar publication is also available for the whole of Australia, providing data at SSD level. See Appendix 2 (Census Products and Services) for more information.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
QUEENSLAND OVERVIEW
The Census of Population and Housing conducted on 7 August 2001 counted 3,655,139 people in Queensland on Census Night. This represents an increase of 8.5% (286,289 people) in Queensland's population since the 1996 Census (3,368,850 people), the largest percentage increase of all the States and Territories. Of those counted in Australia on Census Night, 3,522,044 people were usual residents of Queensland.
Selected person characteristics
The median age in Queensland was 35 years in 2001 compared to 33 years in 1996. The proportion of people aged 0-14 years increased to 27.9% (1,018,579 people) in 2001, up from 21.7% in 1996. The proportion of people aged 65 years and over has remained stable at 12.3% (450,900 people) in 2001, the same proportion as in 1996. The proportion of males and females in the population has also remained stable with slightly more females (50.7%) than males (49.3%). New topics for the 2001 Census included Computer use at home and Internet use. For Queensland a higher proportion of males (41.9%) used a personal computer at home than females (40.7%). This compares with 43.5% of males and 40.5% of females for Australia. A higher percentage of males (28.2%) than females (25.9%) used the Internet at home.
Selected ethnic characteristics
The majority of people counted in Queensland were Australian born (77.7% or 2,786,359 people) compared with 72.6% for Australia. The largest overseas born group comprised people born in the United Kingdom at 5.1% (183,722 people) followed by New Zealand at 3.6% (127,597 people). No other country accounted for more than one per cent. English was the only language spoken at home by 88.5% (3,173,390 people) of the population, compared to 80.0% for Australia. The most common languages spoken at home other than English were Chinese languages, which accounted for 1.0% (35,948 people) of the Queensland population.
Indigenous people
The number of people who identified as being of Indigenous origin increased by 18.1% to 112,772 people in 2001, up from 95,518 people in 1996. The Indigenous population represented 3.1% of Queensland's population. This compares with 2.2% for Australia. Of the Indigenous people counted in Queensland, the largest proportion (25.6% or 28,909 Indigenous people) were counted in the Far North Statistical Division. This was followed by the Brisbane Statistical Division (23.9% or 26,967 Indigenous people) and the Northern Statistical Division (10.3% or 11,597 Indigenous people).
Housing characteristics
There were 1,487,193 dwellings counted in Queensland, an increase of 11.8% (157,395 dwellings) since 1996. Only the Northern Territory had a larger percentage increase in the number of dwellings (18.0%). Of these dwellings, 91.2% (1,355,613) were occupied private dwellings, 8.6% (127,299) were unoccupied private dwellings and 0.3% (4,244) were non-private dwellings.
Occupied private dwellings
Dwellings which were fully owned or being purchased accounted for 62.4% of the occupied private dwellings in Queensland. For the occupied private dwellings being purchased (349,333 dwellings), the median monthly housing loan repayment was $849. The median weekly rent for the 30.1% of occupied private dwellings being rented 408,117 dwellings) was $152.
Household characteristics
Of the households counted in 2001, 68.0% (922,213 households) were family households, a decrease from 69.9% in 1996. The proportion of lone person households increased to 21.8% (295,523 households), up from 20.6% in 1996. The proportion of group households was 4.3% (57,684 households) in 2001 compared with 4.8% in 1996. The Census shows that 47.5% of all Queensland households (643,965 households) used a personal computer at home in the week prior to the Census. This compares with 48.6% of all households for Australia. For the same period, more than one-third of Queensland households (35.3% or 478,659 households) reported using the Internet at home, compared with 36.1% of households for Australia.
Family type
The 2001 Census counted 933,928 families in Queensland, an increase of 9.5% since 1996. In 2001, less than half of all families (44.7% or 417,806 families) were couples with children, down from 47.7% in 1996. There were corresponding increases in the proportion of couple families without children (37.4%), up from 35.9% in 1996, and one parent families (16.0%) up from 14.6% in 1996.
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