NAME OF COLLECTION
Census of Population and Housing
Contact
Client Services
Australian Bureau of Statistics
PO Box 10
BELCONNEN ACT 2616
Telephone: Canberra (02) 6252 6627
Facsimile: Canberra (02) 6253 1404
Email: client.services@abs.gov.au
Internet: www.abs.gov.au
Purpose
To provide statistics on key characteristics of people and households in Australia on census night. Amongst other things, the information is used for forward planning by government, industry and community groups.
Description
The Census is conducted every five years and is an enumeration of the entire population. Information is collected from all Australian households by self-completion questionnaires. Detailed information is available for small geographic areas and small population groups.
Data detail
- visitor numbers (intrastate, interstate and overseas) (see note below);
- demography (e.g. age, sex, marital status);
- ethnicity (e.g. birthplace, year of arrival);
- education;
- income;
- labour force, (e.g. status, occupation, industry). Census data can provide an indication of employment in tourism-related industries;
- transport (e.g. number of motor vehicles garaged); and
- dwellings (e.g. rent, mortgage).
Data for overseas visitors and visitors enumerated in short-term accommodation (e.g. hotels and motels, etc.) are subject to considerable undercount and a high non-response rate for most questions. This severely impairs the usefulness of the data for the purposes of ascertaining the number of visitors enumerated in these types of accommodation and understanding their characteristics.
A range of information on overseas visitors is available from the 1996 Census.
Geographical Coverage
Australia, States and Territories. Data are classified according to the Australian Standard Geographic Classification and are available for small areas down to Collection District.
Frequency of data availability
Conducted every five years. The last census was held in August 1996, the next census will be taken in 2001.
Historical data
The first census conducted by the Commonwealth of Australia was held in 1911 and censuses have been held at irregular intervals to 1961. Since 1961, a census has been conducted every five years.
Products and services available
Other
Community profiles are available in hard copy and all standard electronic formats. PC customers are supplied with simple data selection, viewing and aggregation software.
CDATA91 - a CD-ROM product which contains census and digital map data and data manipulation and mapping software.
Customised tables. PC customers are supplied with a simple data selection, viewing and aggregation software.
Map data are available in hard copy and all common digital formats.
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