Community Profiles now available with 2006 Census data!

The Community Profile Series contains six separate profiles aimed at providing key Census characteristics relating to persons, families and dwellings and covering most topics on the Census form. The profiles are excellent tools for researching, planning and analysing small and large geographic areas. They enable comparisons to be made between different geographic areas.

First release data for the 2006 Census is now available. And second release data will become available later this year. First release data was released in August and September for most profiles including:

• Basic Community Profile
• Time Series Profile
• Indigenous Profile
• Place of Enumeration Profile
• Expanded Community Profile

The Working Population Profile will be released on 19 December 2007.

Second Release data will become available on the ABS web site as follows:

• Basic Community Profile: 25 October
• Indigenous Profile: 25 October
• Place of Enumeration Profile: 26 November
• Expanded Community Profile : 26 November
• Time Series Profile: 26 November

All ABS data currently available on our website is free. We encourage you to visit the website (www.abs.gov.au/census) and experience the easy-to-use products.

Michael Beahan
Director
Census Products & Services

The 2011 Census - Your chance to have a say!

While continuing to deliver more new and exciting products and services from the 2006 Census, the ABS is turning its attention to the next Census of Population and Housing to be held in August 2011.

The ABS will soon be inviting public comment on the content and procedures of the 2011 Census. The invitation to have a say in the way the nation’s largest statistical collection is undertaken is in the Information Paper: 2011 Census of Population and Housing: ABS Views on Content and Procedures to be released on 26 October 2007.

This is the first in a series of information papers about the 2011 Census. It marks the first step in the public consultation process for 2011 and outlines ABS proposals for the next Census, including:

• procedures for conducting the Census
• arrangements to protect the privacy of individuals
• measures to ensure the confidentiality of the information collected
• topics to be included
• topics under review, including new topic proposals
• topics to be excluded

Users of Census data and interested members of the public are invited to make submissions on any aspect of the Census.

How do I make a submission?

Submissions can be lodged either online, electronically by email or in hardcopy. The submission period will open on 26 October 2007 when the Information Paper is released and will close on 31 March 2008.

The Information Paper and Submission Form will be available on the ABS website (for free download) at: https://www.abs.gov.au/2011censusviews from 26 October 2007. Information and guidelines about making a submission will also be available from the website.

Information Sessions on 2006 Census products and 2011 Census Topic Consultation are planned for each capital city during October and November 2007. These meetings are open to all interested members of the public and provide an opportunity to hear more about plans for the next Census, meet ABS staff and ask questions. For more information phone 1300 175 070 or email 2011.census@abs.gov.au

In addition to providing copies of the Information Paper to people and organisations with an interest in Census data, the ABS will notify the public of the release of the Information Paper through:

• advertisements placed in major newspapers across the country
• media releases
• the ABS website

What happens next?

Following the assessment of submissions and consultation meetings, recommendations on the content and procedures of the 2011 Census will be discussed with the Australian Statistics Advisory Council later in 2008. The ABS will then prepare a submission to the Government during 2009. A final decision on the 2011 Census topics is expected to be made by the Federal Government in late 2009. The ABS will then release a further Information Paper outlining the final nature and content of the 2011 Census.

All individuals or organisations who have made submissions will be advised of the final outcomes.

QuickStats and MapStats New topics coming, 25 October 2007

From the 25 October you can get second release data from QuickStats and MapStats on the ABS web site. Second release data includes additional topics such as employment type, industry of employment, labour force status, occupation, and method of travel to work.

QuickStats is the best place to start your investigation of the 2006 Census. It is fast, very easy to use, and is designed to give you an overview of the main Census statistics in most geographic areas. All you need to do is select a geographic area, and QuickStats provides you with key data on basic Census topics such as age, country of birth, main language spoken at home, religious affiliation, marital status, and labour force participation. To keep things easy to understand, QuickStats selects the top five responses for your selected topic and provides a short descriptive commentary of the results.

MapStats gives you the tools to create mapped Census data for the geographic region of your choice by combining 2006 Census statistics with mapping capabilities. Like QuickStats, MapStats is fast and easy to use. You simply select a Census topic and geographic area, and MapStats generates a thematic map.

You can get this valuable new data through QuickStats and MapStats for free online at www.abs.gov.au/census.

Contact Us Census Technical Helpline 1800 676 646 Email: census.software@abs.gov.au (for help with CDATA 2001, SEIFA 2001 and CLIB2001) National Information and Referral Service 1300 135 070 (for all other ABS inquiries) Newspoint Editor Stephen O’Connor Phone 02 6252 6013 stephen.oconnor@abs.gov.au CDATA User Group Manager Simon Jarman Phone 02 6252 6015 simon.jarman@abs.gov.au