INTRODUCTION

Labour Force Survey (LFS) Statistical Region boundaries are revised at each labour force sample redesign. They are revised to align with the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (cat. no. 1216.0) and introduced when regional benchmarks are reviewed, see Information Paper: Labour Force Survey Sample Design, Australia (cat. no. 6269.0). This information paper lists the Labour Force Dissemination Regions and details differences between those effective from November 1997.

Labour Force Dissemination Regions are established following analyses of data from Census of Population and Housing (Census) taking consideration of regional population levels required to yield reliable estimates, and the need for consistency with other statistical collections. Changes will become effective in all Labour Force products from February 2009 onwards (first release from 19 March 2009). Regional series have been backcast to November 2007.

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ABS	Australian Bureau of Statistics
ASGC	Australian Standard Geographical Classification
ASGS	Australian Statistical Geography Standard
LFS	Labour Force Survey
WA	Western Australia

Survey Objectives

The purpose of the monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS) is to provide timely information on the labour market activity of the usually resident civilian population of Australia aged 15 years and over. The statistics of most interest each month are the estimates of the number of employed and unemployed people, the unemployment rate and the labour force participation rate. The rate of change in the number of people employed is a key indicator of economic growth. The unemployment rate (the percentage of the labour force represented by the unemployed) is the main measure of unutilised labour, and the participation rate (the percentage of the population in the labour force) reflects changes in total labour availability.

Regional Data

The LFS is designed primarily to produce reliable estimates at the national, State and Territory levels; however, it also delivers estimates for a number of regions within States. The regions used for the publication of labour force statistics are based on standard geographical regions and are mostly identical in terms of spatial definitions with the Statistical Regions of Statistical Geography, see Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (cat. no. 1216.0).

A wide range of labour force data are available for each Dissemination Region. Regional data on labour force status and the unemployment and labour force participation rates are included in quarterly publications produced by the New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) offices. Additional regional data for these and other states are available on request. Regional data are also available monthly, generally within one week of the release of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), in Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001). Detailed industry and occupation labour force data are also available on a quarterly basis in Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003).

REGIONAL ESTIMATES

Quality of Estimates

As with state and national estimates, regional labour force estimates are subject to sampling error. Compared with estimates at state level, estimates for regions are based on smaller samples and are subject to higher relative standard errors.

The LFS is designed to provide accurate national, state and territory estimates; however, in recent years, the ABS has taken steps to improve the quality of the small area estimates from the LFS. With the February 2004 survey, the LFS introduced regional population benchmarks for estimating and releasing regional labour force estimates. The benchmarks are classified by LFS Statistical Region of usual residence and sex. Regional labour force estimates were revised back to January 1999, to include regional benchmarks.

Care should be taken in the interpretation of regional estimates. Detailed standard errors for each region are available in Labour Force Survey Standard Errors, Data Cube (cat. no. 6298.0.55.001).

In addition, ABS customarily issues cautionary notes regarding the high degree of variability of LFS regional estimates, particularly for the regions with smaller populations. For more information on the quality of estimates for these regions refer to the feature article Labour Force Survey Regions in Australian Labour Market Statistics, July 2004 (cat. no. 6105.0).

Data comparability

Changes to regional boundaries has resulted in a break to some labour force series. To minimise the impact, series have been backcast to November 2007.

LFS Statistical Region Concordance

From February 2009 there will be 85 Labour Force Statistical Regions (Regions), previously there were 77 Regions across Australia. A concordance for is provided for each state and territory comparing 2006 Regions with 2001 Regions. For regions prior to 2001 Regions refer to Information Paper: Labour Force Survey Sample Design, Australia (cat. no. 6269.0).

TABLE 1. NEW SOUTH WALES

	ASGC 2006 CODE...............			CHANGE FROM ASGC 2001...........
2006 LFS Statistical Region
Sydney Major Statistical Region			11
Inner Sydney and Inner Western Sydney Statistical Regions		1 104	1 128
Inner Sydney Statistical Region			1 104
Inner Western Sydney Statistical Region			1 128
Eastern Suburbs Statistical Region			1 108
St George-Sutherland Statistical Region			1 112
Canterbury-Bankstown Statistical Region			1 116
Fairfield-Liverpool and Outer South Western Sydney Statistical Regions		1 120	1 124
Fairfield-Liverpool Statistical Region			1 120
Outer South Western Sydney Statistical Region			1 124
Central Western Sydney Statistical Region			1 132
North Western Sydney Statistical Region			1 136
Lower Northern Sydney Statistical Region			1 144
Central Northern Sydney Statistical Region			1 148
Northern Beaches Statistical Region			1 152
Gosford-Wyong Statistical Region			1 156
Balance of New South Wales Major Statistical Region			19
Hunter Statistical Region			1 964	Compared with the 2001 design, reduced by the transfer of area to Northern, Far West-North Western and Central West Statistical Regions. No Urban Centres/Localities affected.(a)
Newcastle Statistical Region Sector			19 641
Hunter excluding Newcastle			19 642	Compared with the 2001 design, reduced by the transfer of area to Northern, North Western and Central West Statistical Divisions. No Urban Centres/Localities affected.(a)
Illawarra and South Eastern Statistical Regions		1 968	1 972	Compared with the 2001 design, reduced by the exchange of area with Murray-Murrumbidgee Statistical Region. No Urban Centres/Localities affected.(a)
Illawarra Statistical Region			1 968
Wollongong Statistical Region Sector			19 681
Illawarra excluding Wollongong		19 683	19 684
South Eastern Statistical Region			1 972	Compared with the 2001 design, reduced by the exchange of area with Murray-Murrumbidgee Statistical Region. No Urban Centres/Localities affected.(a)
Richmond-Tweed and Mid-North Coast Statistical Regions		1 976	1 980
Northern, Far West-North Western and Central West Statistical Regions	1 984	1 988	1 992	Compared with the 2001 design, enlarged to include area from Hunter Statistical Region. No Urban Centres/Localities affected.(a)
Northern, North Western and Central West Statistical Divisions	130(b)	135(b)	140(b)	Compared with the 2001 design, enlarged to include area from Hunter excluding Newcastle. No Urban Centres/Localities affected.(a)
Far West Statistical Division			160(b)
Murray-Murrumbidgee Statistical Region			1 996	Compared with the 2001 design, enlarged by the exchange of area with Illawarra and South Eastern Statistical Regions. No Urban Centres/Localities affected.(a)

(a) ASGC Main Structure entity.
(b) An ASGC Urban Centre is a population cluster of 1,000 people or more; and a Locality is a population cluster of between 200 and 999 people.



TABLE 2 VICTORIA

	ASGC 2006 CODE...............			CHANGE FROM ASGC 2001...........
2006 LFS Statistical Region
Melbourne Major Statistical Region			21
Outer Western Melbourne Statistical Region			2 102
North Western Melbourne Statistical Region			2 106
Inner Melbourne Statistical Region			2 108
North Eastern Melbourne Statistical Region			2 112
Inner Eastern Melbourne Statistical Region			2 116
Southern Melbourne Statistical Region			2 120
Outer Eastern Melbourne Statistical Region			2 124
South Eastern Melbourne Statistical Region			2 126
Mornington Peninsula Statistical Region			2 128
Balance of Victoria Major Statistical Region			29
Barwon-Western District Statistical Region			2 964
Central Highlands-Wimmera Statistical Region			2 968
Loddon-Mallee Statistical Region			2 972
Goulburn-Ovens-Murray Statistical Region			2 974
All Gippsland Statistical Region			2 976

TABLE 3. QUEENSLAND

	ASGC 2006 CODE...............			CHANGE FROM ASGC 2001...........
2006 LFS Statistical Region
Brisbane Major Statistical Region			31	Compared with the 2001 design, reduced by the transfer of Gold Coast City Part A Statistical Region Sector to Balance of Queensland Major Statistical Region; and enlarged to include area from North and West Moreton Statistical Region and from South and East Moreton Statistical Region (affects many Urban Centres/Localities).(a)
Brisbane City Inner Ring Statistical Region			3 104
Brisbane City Outer Ring Statistical Region			3 108
South and East Brisbane Statistical Division Balance Statistical Region			3 112	Compared with the 2001 design, reduced by the transfer of Gold Coast City Part A Statistical Region Sector to a new 2006 Statistical Region (affects many Urban Centres ); and enlarged to include area from South and East Moreton Statistical Region (no Urban Centres/Localities affected).(a)
North Brisbane Statistical Division Balance Statistical Region			3 120	Compared with the 2001 design, formed from the northern part of North and West Brisbane Statistical Division Balance Statistical Region and by the transfer of area from North and West Moreton Statistical Region.(a)
Ipswich City Statistical Region			3 124	New in 2006. Compared with the 2001 design, formed from the western part of North and West Brisbane Statistical Division Balance Statistical Region and by the transfer of area from North and West Moreton Statistical Region.
Balance of Queensland Major Statistical Region			39	Compared with the 2001 design, enlarged to include Gold Coast City Part A Statistical Region Sector from Brisbane Major Statistical Region; and reduced by the transfer of area from North and West Moreton Statistical Region and from South and East Moreton Statistical Region to Brisbane Major Statistical Region (affects many Urban Centres/Localities).(a)
Gold Coast Statistical Region			3 965	New in 2006. Compared with the 2001 design, formed from Gold Coast City Part A Statistical Region Sector and Gold Coast City Part B Statistical Region Sector and by the transfer of area from South and East Moreton Statistical Region (affects many Urban Centres/Localities ).(a)
Gold Coast North Statistical Region Sector			3 9651	Compared with the 2001 design, formed from Gold Coast City Part A Statistical Region Sector and by the transfer of area from Gold Coast City Part B Statistical Region Sector (no Urban Centres/Localities affected).(a)
Gold Coast South Statistical Region Sector			39 653	Compared with the 2001 design, formed from most of Gold Coast City Part B Statistical Region Sector and by the transfer of area from South and East Moreton Statistical Region (affects many Urban Centres/Localities).(a)
Sunshine Coast Statistical Region			3 966	New in 2006. Compared with the 2001 design, formed from part of North and West Moreton Statistical Region.
West Moreton Statistical Region			3 969	New in 2006. Compared with the 2001 design, formed from the remainder of North and West Moreton Statistical Region and South and East Moreton Statistical Region after all other area losses.
Wide Bay-Burnett Statistical Region			3 972
Darling Downs-South West Statistical Region			3 976
Mackay-Fitzroy-Central West Statistical Region			3 980
Northern-North West Statistical Region			3 984	Compared with the 2001 design, reduced by the transfer of area to Far North Statistical Region. This affects Kowanyama (1,017 people in 2006) and Pormpuraaw (600 people in 2006).
Far North Statistical Region			3 988	Compared with the 2001 design, enlarged to include area from Northern-North West Statistical Region. This affects Kowanyama (1,017 people in 2006) and Pormpuraaw (600 people in 2006).

(a) ASGC Main Structure entity.




TABLE 4. SOUTH AUSTRALIA

	ASGC 2006 CODE...............			CHANGE FROM ASGC 2001...........
2006 LFS Statistical Region
Adelaide Major Statistical Region			41
Northern Adelaide Statistical Region			4 104
Western Adelaide Statistical Region			4 108
Eastern Adelaide Statistical Region			4 112
Southern Adelaide Statistical Region			4 116
Balance of South Australia Major Statistical Region			49
Northern and Western South Australia Statistical Region			4 964
Southern and Eastern South Australia Statistical Region			4 968

TABLE 5. WESTERN AUSTRALIA

	ASGC 2006 CODE...............			CHANGE FROM ASGC 2001...........
2006 LFS Statistical Region
Perth Major Statistical Region			51
Central Metropolitan Statistical Region			5 104
East Metropolitan Statistical Region			5 108
North Metropolitan Statistical Region			5 112
South West Metropolitan Statistical Region			5 116
South East Metropolitan Statistical Region			5 120
Balance of Western Australia Major Statistical Region			59
Lower Western WA Statistical Region			5 964
Remainder-Balance WA Statistical Region			5 968

TABLE 6. TASMANIA

	ASGC 2006 CODE...............			CHANGE FROM ASGC 2001...........
2006 LFS Statistical Region
Greater Hobart-Southern Statistical Region Sector			61 041
Greater Hobart Statistical Division			605(a)
Southern Statistical Division			610(a)
Northern Statistical Region Sector			61042
Mersey-Lyell Statistical Region Sector			61043
Balance of Tasmania	610(a)	61 042	61 043

(a) ASGC Main Structure entity.


TABLE 7. NORTHERN TERRITORY

	ASGC 2006 CODE...............			CHANGE FROM ASGC 2001...........
2006 LFS Statistical Region
Northern Territory			7

TABLE 8. AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

	ASGC 2006 CODE...............			CHANGE FROM ASGC 2001...........
2006 LFS Statistical Region
Australian Capital Territory			8
Australian Capital Territory and South Eastern Statistical Region		8	1 972	Compared with the 2001 design, reduced by the exchange of area between South Eastern Statistical Region and Murray-Murrumbidgee Statistical Region. No Urban Centres/Localities affected.(a)

(a) An ASGC Urban Centre is a population cluster of 1,000 people or more; and a Locality is a population cluster of between 200 and 999 people.


RELATED STATISTICS

The ABS publishes a wide range of statistics on the labour force on the ABS website. Related issues include:

Information Paper: Labour Force Survey Sample Design, Australia (cat. no. 6269.0)
Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0)
Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001)
Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003)
Labour Force Survey Standard Errors (cat. no. 6298.0)
Labour Force Survey Standard Errors, Data Cube (cat. no. 6298.0.55.001)
Australian Labour Market Statistics (cat. no. 610.5.0)


FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National information Referral Service on 1300 135 070.

For any queries regarding the implementation of changes to the LFS contact Labour Force Estimates on Canberra 02 6252 6525, or via email at labourforce@abs.gov.au.