• Summary
• Downloads
• Explanatory Notes
• Related Information
• Past Releases

LABOUR STATISTICS NEWS


LABOUR THEME PAGE

The ABS Labour Theme Page, available on the ABS web site, provides a guide to the range of ABS statistics on the labour market, as well as links to the latest data released.

CHANGES TO CODING PROCESSES FOR INDUSTRY AND OCCUPATION IN THE LFS

The ABS has changed the processes used to code industry and occupation data in the Labour Force Survey (LFS). From May 2005, almost two-thirds of industry and occupation codes have been coded automatically, using a computer to match survey responses to an industry or occupation index. This process is known as Autocoding. The remaining industry and occupation codes are coded using a Computer Assisted Coding system, which was used for all industry and occupation coding in earlier periods.

Although no changes have been made to the classifications used, and the underlying coding methodology is unchanged, the changes to coding processes will result in an improvement in the quality of estimates classified by industry and occupation from May 2005 onwards. Aggregate estimates of employment and unemployment are unaffected, and there is no meaningful change to the level of employment classified to any industry Division or occupation Major Group.

The Technical Report on page 33 provides more information on the changes in coding processes.

UPDATED EMPLOYMENT TYPE SPREADSHEETS

Updated spreadsheets containing data of the time series on employment type, from 1992 to 2004, are now available for purchase from the ABS web site. Follow the link to [AusStats - Publications and Data], then [Data cubes]. They are listed as Table 2 under catalogue number 6105.0. These spreadsheets include estimates of employment type by sex and full-time/part-time status for each of the following variables: Age (5 year age groups), State of usual residence, Industry and Occupation.

FREE PUBLICATIONS ON THE WEB

ABS publications will be made available free of charge on the ABS website from 1 July. This will include Adobe Acrobat and HTML publications such as Australian Labour Market Statistics, and the spreadsheet Table 1 Measures of underutilisation.

SUPPLEMENTARY SURVEYS ON LABOUR TOPICS

The Monthly Population Survey comprises the Labour Force Survey and a range of supplementary surveys, which provide detailed information on a range of topics. Results from the following labour-related topics were recently released: Labour Force Status and other Characteristics of Migrants, Australia (cat. no. 6250.0); and Forms of Employment, Australia (cat. no. 6359.0). The results of these surveys are outlined in the Recent Release section of this publication.

ABS EMAIL NOTIFICATION SERVICE

By subscribing to this free service, you will be kept informed via email of the latest releases of ABS products. To subscribe, follow the link from the ABS home page <https://www.abs.gov.au>, provide your email address, and select your topics of interest.

Recent and upcoming statistical releases
Release date/title of publication		Reference period	Catalogue number
June 2005
	Industrial Disputes, Australia (Electronic Publication)	March quarter 2005	6321.0.55.001
	Labour Force, Australia	May 2005	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	May 2005	6291.0.55.001
	Information Paper: Wage and Salary Earners, Public Sector, Australia, Changes to Time Series Spreadsheets	March 2005	6234.0
	Wage and Salary Earners, Public Sector, Australia	March quarter 2005	6248.0.55.001
	Labour Force Status and Other Characteristics of Migrants, Australia	November 2004	6250.0
	Survey of Income and Housing - Basic and Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record Files, Technical Paper	2002-03	6541.0
	Survey of Income and Housing: Confidentialised Unit Record File on CD-ROM/RADL	2002-03	6541.0.30.001
	Australians' Employment and Unemployment Patterns, 1994-1997: Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record File	1994-1997	6286.0.55.001
	Australians' Employment and Unemployment Patterns: Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record File, Technical Paper	1994-1997	6286.0.55.002
	Employment Arrangements and Superannuation, Australia: Confidentialised Unit Record File	2000	6361.0.55.001
	Employment Arrangements and Superannuation, Australia: Confidentialised Unit Record File, Technical Paper	2000	6361.0.55.002
	Job Vacancies, Australia	May 2005	6354.0
	Information Paper: Job Vacancies, Australia, Changes to Time Series Spreadsheets	May 2005	6364.0
July 2005
	Australian Labour Market Statistics	July 2005	6105.0
	Labour Force, Australia	June 2005	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	June 2005	6291.0.55.001
	Australian Social Trends	2005	4102.0
	Household Income and Income Distribution, Australia	2003-04	6523.0
	Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Summary of Results	2003-04	6530.0
August 2005
	Average Weekly Earnings, Australia	May 2005	6302.0
	Labour Force, Australia	July 2005	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	July 2005	6291.0.55.001
	Labour Force Experience, Australia	February 2005	6206.0
	Information Paper: Census of Population and Housing - Proposed Products and Services	2006	2011.0
	Labour Price Index, Australia	June quarter 2005	6345.0
September 2005
	Industrial Disputes, Australia	June quarter 2005	6321.0.55.001
	Job Vacancies, Australia	August 2005	6354.0
	Labour Force, Australia	August 2005	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	August 2005	6291.0.55.001
	Labour Force Survey Standard Errors	2005	6298.0
	Labour Force Survey Standard Errors, Spreadsheets	2005	6298.0.55.001
	Wage and Salary Earners, Public Sector, Australia	June quarter 2005	6248.0.55.001
October 2005
	Australian Labour Market Statistics	October 2005	6105.0
	Labour Force, Australia	September 2005	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	September 2005	6291.0.55.001

DATA CONTAINED IN THIS ISSUE

The statistics shown are the latest available at 22 June 2005. Data sources for the tables in this publication are listed in Appendix 1.

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS

The spreadsheets and data cubes referenced in this publication are available on the ABS web site at <https://www.abs.gov.au> [AusStats - Publications and Data], then [Data Cubes] or [Time Series Spreadsheets].

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Assistant Director, Labour Market Statistics Section, on Canberra 02 6252 7636.

LABOUR MARKET SUMMARY


KEY MEASURES

						% change from
Measure			Series type	Period	Current figure	Previous quarter(a)	Previous year(b)
Employed
	Persons	'000	Trend	May 2005	9,983.3	0.8	3.5
	Full-time	'000	Trend	May 2005	7,130.2	0.8	3.2
	Part-time	'000	Trend	May 2005	2,853.1	0.8	4.2
	Part-time employment as a proportion of total employment	%	Trend	May 2005	28.6	(c)0.0	(c)0.2
Unemployed
	Persons	'000	Trend	May 2005	541.0	1.2	-6.0
	Looking for full-time work	'000	Trend	May 2005	382.8	0.2	-9.0
	Looking for part-time work	'000	Trend	May 2005	158.2	3.6	2.2
Unemployment rate
	Persons	%	Trend	May 2005	5.1	(c)0.0	(c)-0.5
Long-term unemployment
	Persons	'000	Trend	May 2005	91.5	-6.0	-23.7
	As a proportion of total unemployment	%	Trend	May 2005	16.9	(c)-1.3	(c)-3.9
Annual labour underutilisation rates(d)
	Long-term unemployment rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	1.2	na	(c)-0.1
	Unemployment rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	5.5	na	(c)-0.4
	Underemployment rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	5.6	na	(c)0.0
	Labour force underutilisation rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	11.1	na	(c)-0.4
	Extended labour force underutilisation rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	12.2	na	(c)-0.3
Children living without an employed parent(e)		%	Original	Jun 2004	17.2	na	(c)0.1
Labour force participation rate
	Persons aged 15-64 years	%	Original	May 2005	75.6	(c)0.1	(c)1.2
	Total	%	Trend	May 2005	64.6	(c)0.4	(c)1.0
Actual hours worked
	Aggregate weekly hours	mill. hours	Original	May 2005	345.4	-0.6	3.4
	Average weekly hours - Persons	hours	Original	May 2005	34.6	-1.6	0.0
	Average weekly hours - Full-time	hours	Original	May 2005	42.0	-0.5	0.0
	Average weekly hours - Part-time	hours	Original	May 2005	16.6	-2.1	0.7
Part-time workers
	Proportion who preferred to work more hours	%	Original	May 2005	25.1	(c)-1.2	(c)-0.7
Wage price index
	Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses	index no.	Trend	Mar qtr 2005	104.3	1.1	3.9
Average weekly earnings
	Full-time adult ordinary time earnings	$	Trend	Feb 2005	991.20	1.5	4.8
	All employees total earnings	$	Trend	Feb 2005	781.70	1.6	4.5
Compensation of employees
	Household income account	$m	Trend	Mar qtr 2005	102,015	1.7	7.0
	Average earnings (National Accounts basis - nominal) per week	$	Trend	Mar qtr 2005	909	1.0	3.7
Industrial disputes
	Working days lost	'000	Original	Mar qtr 2005	44.4	-14.6	-44.8
	Working days lost per 1,000 employees	number	Original	Mar qtr 2005	5.2	-15.3	-46.7
Job vacancies
	Australia	'000	Trend	Feb 2005	145.2	5.8	29.8
na not available
(a) Same period previous quarter (monthly data is presented for the middle month of each quarter).
(b) Same period previous year.
(c) Change is in percentage points.
(d) See table 4.1 or the Glossary for further explanation of labour underutilisation rates.
(e) As a proportion of all children aged under 15 years. See the Explanatory Notes for information on family data.

EMPLOYMENT: TREND SERIES

Full-time and total employment

Males and females

Proportion of total employment, Males

Proportion of total employment, Females

Males and females

Proportion of total unemployment

Labour underutilisation rates - 1994-2004

Persons

Males

Females

Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses, Quarterly change

Full-time adult ordinary time earnings, Quarterly change

All employees total earnings, Level

Working days lost, Quarter ending

Job vacancies, By sector