REBENCHMARKING OF LABOUR FORCE ESTIMATES
INTRODUCTION
The ABS re-benchmarks Labour Force data once a quarter (ahead of the release of February, May, August and November issues) to ensure the estimates are based on the most up to date population benchmarks. This publication presents the estimates up to January 2016 based on the revised population benchmarks.
Revisions to original data resulting from rebenchmarking are usually confined to the previous 22 months.
Detailed information on the extent of revisions resulting from rebenchmarking can be derived by comparing the data released in this issue and the data released in the January 2016 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) on 18 February 2016.
Further information on the rebenchmarking process is included in the February 2015 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0).
REVISIONS TO HEADLINE SERIES
Incorporating the latest revised population benchmarks has resulted in minor revisions across the Labour Force series. The population benchmarks were revised from July 2014 to January 2015, however minor revisions to seasonally adjusted and trend estimates will occur throughout the time series due to concurrent seasonal adjustment.
The latest available Estimated Resident Population (ERP) growth over the previous 19 months was less than previous ERP. For January 2016, the Labour Force civilian population aged 15 years and over was revised down from 19.42 million to 19.41 million persons.
Revisions to headline series were minimal, with the largest revision in absolute terms to total seasonally adjusted employed persons of -6,600 (-0.1%) occurring in December 2015 and the average revision since July 2014 being -3,400 persons. The largest revision in absolute terms to seasonally adjusted unemployed persons of -300 persons (0.0%) was in October 2015, with the average revision since January 2014 being -200 persons. There were no revisions greater than 0.00 percentage points to the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.
TABLE 1 - REVISIONS TO LEVELS
 | | Jan-16 | | Dec-15 | | Dec-15 to Jan-16 movement |
| | Published | Revised | Difference | | Published | Revised | Difference | | Published | Revised | Difference |
|
| Trend | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Employed persons ('000) | 11909.9 | 11903.1 | -6.7 | | 11890.1 | 11883.4 | -6.7 | | 19.8 | 19.7 | 0.1 |
| Unemployed persons ('000) | 739.4 | 739.1 | -0.3 | | 743.7 | 743.5 | -0.3 | | -4.4 | -4.4 | 0.0 |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 5.8 | 5.8 | 0.0 pts | | 5.9 | 5.9 | 0.0 pts | | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts |
| Participation rate (%) | 65.2 | 65.2 | 0.0 pts | | 65.2 | 65.2 | 0.0 pts | | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aggregate Monthly Hours Worked (Mh) | 1652.7 | 1651.5 | -1.2 | | 1649.1 | 1648.0 | -1.1 | | 3.6 | 3.5 | 0.0 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Seasonally adjusted | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Employed persons ('000) | 11894.5 | 11888.4 | -6.1 | | 11902.4 | 11895.8 | -6.6 | | -7.9 | -7.5 | -0.4 |
| Unemployed persons ('000) | 761.4 | 761.1 | -0.3 | | 731.2 | 730.9 | -0.2 | | 30.2 | 30.2 | 0.0 |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 6.0 | 6.0 | 0.0 pts | | 5.8 | 5.8 | 0.0 pts | | 0.2 pts | 0.2 pts | 0.0 pts |
| Participation rate (%) | 65.2 | 65.2 | 0.0 pts | | 65.2 | 65.2 | 0.0 pts | | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aggregate Monthly Hours Worked (Mh) | 1656.0 | 1654.8 | -1.1 | | 1645.0 | 1643.9 | -1.1 | | 10.9 | 10.9 | 0.0 |
|
TABLE 2 - REVISIONS TO JANUARY 2016 MONTH ON MONTH AND YEAR ON YEAR MOVEMENT
| | Dec-15 to Jan-16 movement | | Jan-15 to Jan-16 movement |
| | Published | Revised | Difference | | Published | Revised | Difference |
|
| Trend | | | | | | | |
| Employed persons ('000) | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0 pts | | 2.6% | 2.6% | 0.0 pts |
| Unemployed persons ('000) | -0.6% | -0.6% | 0.0 pts | | -3.9% | -3.9% | 0.0 pts |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | | -1.4 pts | -1.4 pts | 0.0 pts |
| Participation rate (%) | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | | -0.5 pts | -0.5 pts | 0.0 pts |
| | | | | | | | |
| Aggregate Monthly Hours Worked (Mh) | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.0 pts | | 2.0% | 2.0% | 0.0 pts |
| | | | | | | | |
| Seasonally adjusted | | | | | | | |
| Employed persons ('000) | -0.1% | -0.1% | 0.0 pts | | 2.6% | 2.5% | 0.0 pts |
| Unemployed persons ('000) | 4.0% | 4.0% | 0.0 pts | | -2.8% | -2.9% | 0.0 pts |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 0.2 pts | 0.2 pts | 0.0 pts | | -1.3 pts | -1.3 pts | 0.0 pts |
| Participation rate (%) | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | 0.0 pts | | -0.5 pts | -0.5 pts | 0.0 pts |
| | | | | | | | |
| Aggregate Monthly Hours Worked (Mh) | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.0 pts | | 2.0% | 2.0% | 0.0 pts |
|
While headline level estimates were revised down as a result of the revised population benchmarks, these revisions were not large enough to significantly affect month on month movements.
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