Your Electronic ABStract
Federal Budget Outcomes
Census 2011
Implementation of the Australian Capital Territory Information Development Plan, 2008-2011
Recent Releases
What's New in Regional Statistics (cat. no. 1386.0)
New Survey on Energy, Water and Environmental Management in the Business Sector
Young Statisticians Conference 2009 - We're Young and Significant!
New Indigenous resource on-line now: ABS
Expected Major Annual & Irregular Releases
Entry Points to the ABS ACT Office



Your Electronic ABStract

Since the establishment of the ACT Regional Office in 1992, there have been a number of changes to the office structure, the statistical services provided and the products produced. So after investigation and consultation with stakeholders it was felt that the time is ripe for ABStract to undergo a face lift taking it forward into the age of web technology. The information we bring to you will be faster, more efficient and environmentally friendly while still informing you about events, opportunities and statistics of local, regional and national significance.
The next issue scheduled for release in November will be available via the ABS website only and we invite you to subscribe to ABStract (cat. no. 1344.8.55.002) via our email notification service on the ABS website.

Federal Budget Outcomes

On 6 May 2009 the Hon. Wayne Swan, MP announced the 2009-10 Federal Budget with the ABS receiving an additional $15m annually in Government appropriation. As a result, the Australian Statistician, Brian Pink has been able to reinstate funding to a number of ABS programs, including restoration of the full sample size for the Labour Force Survey, the continuation of the Retail and Job Vacancy Surveys, restoration of services from the National Information Referral Service (NIRS), reinstatement of funding for the State and Territory Statistical Service (STSS) as well as funding for most of the other programs that received funding cuts in 2008-09.
In addition to the above the ABS received funding for the creation of an index to measure out-of-pocket living costs by households whose main source of income is a pension or government benefit, and to assist in the measurement of progress in reform and improvements in service delivery against performance indicators in COAG National Agreements in the areas of health, disability, education and housing.
The ACT office would like to thank the ACT Government for their input into the possible savings initiatives for the ABS work program for 2009-10 and beyond.
Further details about the budget outcome and the ABS work program can be found on our website.
Census 2011

The ABS has commenced preparations for the next Census of Population and Housing, which will update information gathered in the 2006 Census. As the ABS gears up for the next census ABStract will provide you with updates on a range of census-related activities including links to relevant census information.
In 2011, Census Night will be Tuesday 9th August and every man, woman and child will need to be accounted for. The results will provide extensive and valuable information about our population and dwellings, at the national and state/territory level. The new lowest output level will be the Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) which consists of a population of approximately 400 people for urban areas and approximately 300 people for rural areas. For additional information please visit “Census Data” on the ABS website.
Implementation of the Australian Capital Territory Information Development Plan, 2008-2011

In February 2008 the Information Development Working Group (IDWG) was established to supplement work done by the Information Development Steering Committee (IDSC) and provide expertise in data collection, use and storage as well as provide a vehicle for ACT agencies to compare and share best practice in data and information development.

To enable a coordinated and targeted approach to the IDP implementation, the IDWG has developed three business cases, aimed to address different aspects of information improvement for the IDSC to endorse. The business cases include the following:

• Information Infrastructure - aims to assist in achieving high quality datasets by developing a suitable Data Monitoring System; includes a review of ACT metadata standards and legislation.

• Improving Children and Youth information - aims to assist the ACT Children and Young People Data and Monitoring Subcommittee’ work to improve the ACT Government’ use, and uptake, of data relating to children and young people in order to inform policy and project development, and the delivery of services to children and young people.

• Improving Indigenous information - aims to develop a Whole-of-ACT Government System for Indigenous data which consists of a collation of data on ACT Government services provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. The objective is to establish an Indigenous education, health and welfare reporting system that is coordinated across government, timely and focussed on the achievement of improved service delivery to and outcomes for Indigenous people.

The hard working teams are led by Anne Jenkins from the Department of Housing and Community Services (Indigenous) and Gemma Wood from the Chief Ministers Department (Infrastructure and Children and Youth).

Meanwhile the ACT Office Executives together with the Statistical Liaison Officers have been out and about consulting and discussing with ACT Government agencies and corporate bodies on a range of issues including:

• ABS Forward Work Program savings initiatives
• COAG initiatives and how the ABS can assist
• Statistical priorities (Indigenous data, local area demography, local area economic development)
• Emerging statistical priorities such as geocoding, data linking and adding ABNs to administrative sets
• Census 2011
• Cross border services

Recent Releases

The ABS recently released results from the latest National Health Survey (NHS). The 2007-08 NHS collected information on health conditions and associated risk factors from households across the country. In particular, the survey measured people's height and weight for the first time since 1995.

Of particular interest to the ACT, the survey found that:

• ACT had lower overweight or obesity rates than other jurisdictions (57.8% for ACT vs 61.3% for all of Australia);
• the ACT had higher rates of people 15 years and over drinking at low risk levels in the week prior to the survey than other jurisdictions (51.8% ACT vs 46.7% for total Australia); and
• there was a lower proportion of people in the ACT who were current daily smokers (ACT 15.8% vs total Australia 18.3%).

Further information is available from National Health Survey: Summary of Results; State Tables 2007-08 (cat no. 4362.0). National data is available from National Health Survey: Summary of Results, Australia (cat. no. 4364.0).


New edition of Australian Social Trends



The ABS released the latest edition of Australian Social Trends (cat. no. 4102.0) on 30 June 2009. The publication draws together a wide range of statistics from the ABS and other sources to provide a picture of Australian society and how it is changing over time.

The latest edition features five articles:

• Relocation across the nation: internal migration and population growth
• Home and away: the living arrangements of young people
• Casual employees
• Health literacy
• Student achievement in maths and science

The release also includes indicator spreadsheets presenting national and state summary data on population, education and training, and other areas of social concern. They can be viewed via the Australian Social Trends link on the ABS website.

The publication shows that:

• The ACT population has increased by 36,000 to 346,000 over the ten years to 2008.
  
• The ACT population is getting older. The median age of ACT residents rose from 32 to 35 years between 1998 and 2008. However, the median age in the ACT is still slightly younger than the national figure of 37 years.
  
• ACT residents are becoming more educated. The proportion of people in the ACT (aged 25-64 years) who had a Bachelor degree or above rose from 31% in 1998 to 42% in 2008. This is considerably higher than the national average in 2008 of 26%.
  
• The ACT is the most health literate part of the country. In 2006, more than half (56%) of people in the ACT had adequate or better health literacy, compared with around 40% in most other states and the Northern Territory.
  

What's New in Regional Statistics (cat. no. 1386.0)

2011 Census of Population and Housing
The Census is the largest statistical collection undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and one of the most important. The next Census, Australia’s 16th, is planned for the night of 9 August 2011. The ABS estimates that there will be in excess of 9 million dwellings included in the next Census.

The ABS has four key goals for the 2011 Census. These are to:

• improve coverage
• ensure the relevance of the Census data to users and providers
• use resources effectively and efficiently
• protect the privacy of the public.

In preparation for the 2011 Census, the ABS is seeking the advice and support of community focussed and government organisations. The 2011 Census of Population and Housing Local and Regional Engagement Strategy discusses how your organisation can be involved. For the ACT the Census Engagement officer is Marriette O’Connell who can be contacted on (02) 6252 8924 or email mariette.oconnell@abs.gov.au.
More information on the census can be found in the 2011 Census home page.


New Survey on Energy, Water and Environmental Management in the Business Sector

The ABS has developed a new survey to collect information on energy use, water use and environmental management in the business sector. In August 2009 the Energy, Water and Environment Survey 2008-09 will be sent to a sample of approximately 15 000 businesses across Australia.

The survey will provide robust industry-wide information which will inform and contribute to a number of high profile and current policy areas including:

• Climate change (e.g. energy efficiency, renewable energy and the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme)
• Sustainable management of water resources
• Sustainable energy supply and use, and
• Innovation in Australian industry

Results from the survey will be publicly available on the ABS website from mid-2010, and data on water use and management will contribute to the development of the Water Account, Australia 2008-09 (cat. no 4610.0).

For further information, contact Sarah Coleman on (02) 6252 7715 or email sarah.coleman@abs.gov.au.

Young Statisticians Conference 2009 - We're Young and Significant!

The Young Statisticians Conference 2009 will be held on 25th and 26th September 2009 at the University of Technology in Sydney (UTS).

The list of speakers at this year’s Conference Include

• Dr Louise Ryan, Chief, CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences
• Professor John Croucher, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Macquarie University and
• Dr Chris Barnes, Australian Institute of Sports Performance Analysis.

If you wish to submit an abstract prior to registering for the conference, please send it to eo@statsoc.org.au or to SSAI's postal address (PO Box 213, Belconnen, ACT 2616).

Registration is available online through the Statistical Society of Australia's website .

New Indigenous resource on-line now: ABS



The Australian Bureau of Statistics has developed a new, free online resource to provide teachers and students with access to data on Indigenous Australia. Indigenous Statistics for Schools (ISS) provides easy to use data for students and teachers on topics such as Indigenous population, education, health, housing, work and more. Links to the original on-line data sources are also provided for those who want more information.

The ISS web pages also cover general issues such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identification (including the history of the Census questions on ethnicity), how Indigenous statistics are collected and the importance of accurate Indigenous statistics. The resource offers easy to find data for classroom use, particularly for assignments. Students can use it as a 'jumping off' point to more detailed information found in ABS publications. The resource also aim to improve students ability to appropriately and rigorously examine numerical data

This free educational resource is available from the education pages of the ABS website.

For further information please contact Education Services on Free call 1800 623 273 or email education@abs.gov.au.

Expected Major Annual & Irregular Releases

GENERAL

1001.0
Australian Bureau of Statistics - Annual Report, 2008-09 (October)

1002.0
Australian Statistics Advisory Council - Annual Report, 2009 (October)

1216.0
Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC), July 2009 (September)

1329.0.55.002
Vineyards Estimates, Australia, 2008-09 (October)

1376.0
Local Government and ABS, September 2009 (September)


CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING

2059.0.55.001
Census of Population and Housing: Australia's Children and Youth, 2006 (July)

2065.0
Table Builder, 2006 (November)


DEMOGRAPHY

3235.0
Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2008 (August)

3238.0
Experimental Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 1991-2021 (September)

3301.0
Births, Australia, 2008 (October)

3307.0.55.001
Divorces, Australia, 2008 (August)

3412.0
Migration, Australia, 2007-08, (July)


SOCIAL STATISTICS

4130.0
Housing Occupancy and Costs, Australia, 2007-08 (November)

4147.4.55.001
Culture and Recreation News, September 2008 (September)

4156.0
Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview, Australia, 2009 (October)

4172.0
Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview, 2009 (October)

4183.0
Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2007-08 (August)

4250.0.55.001
Measuring Learning in Australia - Community Participation - A Snapshot, 2006 (July)

4420.0
Childhood Education and Care, Australia, June 2008 (July)

4519.0
Recorded Crime - Offenders, Australia, 2007-08 (August)

4647.0
Alternative View of Electricity and Gas Supply Activity in Australia, September 2009 (September)

4714.0
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, 2008 (October)

4714.0.55.004
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey: Children, 2008 (August)

4831.0.55.001
Tobacco Smoking in Australia: A Snapshot, 2007-08 (November)

4901.0
Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities, Australia, April 2009 (October)


NATIONAL ACCOUNTS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FINANCE

5501.0.55.001
Government Financial Estimates, Australia, 2009-10 (August)


LABOUR STATISTICS AND PRICES

6224.0.55.001
Labour Force, Australia: Labour Force Status and Other Characteristics of Families, June 2009 (July)

6463.0
Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types, June 2009 (August)


AGRICULTURE

7106.0
Australian farming in Brief, 2009 (August)

7503.0
Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, 2007-08 (July)


SECONDARY INCOME AND DISTRIBUTION

8101.0
Innovation and Technology Update, August 2009 (August)

8104.0
Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia, 2007-08 (September)

8129.0
Business Use of Information Technology, 2007-08 (August)

8150.0
Use of the Internet on farms, Australia, 2007-08 (August)

8153.0
Internet Activity, Australia, June 2009 (September)

8167.0
Selected Characteristics of Australian Business, 2007-08 (September)

Entry Points to the ABS ACT Office

Office Hours: 9am to 4.30pm Mon to Fri Level 5, Manpower Building 33-35 Ainslie Place Canberra City Ph: (02) 6252 8900 Fax: (02) 6247 2389 Postal Address: ACT ABS Office Locked Bag 10 BELCONNEN ACT 2616 National Information and Referral Service Hours: 9am to 4.30pm Mon to Fri Telephone: 1300 135 070 Fax: 1300 135 211 Email: Client Services ABS ACT Regional Contacts: A/g Regional Director: Beidar Cho (02) 6252 8914 Information Consultancy: Jennie Dunn (02) 6252 8902 Census Liaison Officer: Mariette O'Connell (02) 6252 8903