WHAT'S NEW IN THE LABOUR FORCE


REGULAR UPDATE OF THE SEASONAL ADJUSTMENT PROCESS

Parameters used in the seasonal adjustment process to account for the following variables:

• the placement of public holidays;
• the placement of school holidays; and
• the start date for data collection in January

were updated in the January 2016 issue of Labour Force, Australia.

The parameters are reviewed at this time each year to ensure that the correct timing of the holidays and start date for collection are reflected in seasonally adjusted and trend data. These parameters are updated separately to the annual seasonal reanalysis because of their importance for January data, however they will also be considered as part of the broader annual seasonal reanalysis of each series scheduled to occur with the February data. The update to the parameters did not result in significant revisions to the seasonally adjusted and trend series.


THE FUTURE DISSEMINATION OF DETAILED LABOUR FORCE DATA

The ABS has released detailed Labour Force Survey data via SuperTable data cubes for a long period of time. This software is not currently supported by the software provider, Space Time Research, and users have expressed interest in plans regarding the future of these data cubes. The ABS will engage with key users of Labour Force data in 2016 on the most appropriate future dissemination product options and transitional arrangements, and provide periodic updates from this process.


NEW SPREADSHEET "INSIGHTS FROM THE ORIGINAL DATA" NOW AVAILABLE

The January 2016 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) includes an additional spreadsheet table titled "Insights from the original data", which complements the analysis provided in the main commentary. This spreadsheet table contains information regarding the contribution of each component of the sample to original level estimates for the current and previous month, and by extension their contribution to movements in original estimates between months. Information shown in the spreadsheet table is the same as previously provided for employment estimates in the December 2015 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), and is now presented in a table format and for all labour force statuses (i.e. employed, unemployed and not in the labour force). The data in the spreadsheet table can be replicated using the previous month weighted estimate and comparing it to the current month weighted estimate, both of which are available in data cube GM1. This spreadsheet table will continue to be provided in the same format with each additional issue. For further information regarding the specific calculations contained in the table, refer to the December 2015 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0).


PUBLICATION OF QUARTERLY REBENCHMARKED DATA

From the August 2015 issue the ABS commenced quarterly updating (rebenchmarking) Labour Force population benchmarks with the latest available Estimated Resident Population series. To enable users to assess the impact of the rebenchmarking, the ABS now publishes rebenchmarked Labour Force estimates one week prior to each quarterly (February, May, August and November) release of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0). The rebenchmarked estimates include time series up to the month before the quarterly month.

The rebenchmarked estimates are published under Labour Force, Australia - Rebenchmarked Estimates (cat. no. 6202.0.55.003) and include all spreadsheets and one data cube currently released as part of Labour Force, Australia. The February 2016 issue of the rebenchmarked estimates will be released on 10 March 2016. As the purpose of this release is to enable the effect of revised population benchmarks to be analysed, a media release is not usually provided. Rebenchmarked estimates relating to data published in both Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001) and Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003) will continue to be published along with the current month estimates one week after each quarterly release of Labour Force, Australia.

When each quarterly release of Labour Force, Australia is published seasonally adjusted and trend rebenchmarked estimates will be subject to further revision as a result of concurrent seasonal adjustment utilising the additional observation.