1360.0 - Measuring Australia's Economy, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/02/2003   
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Growth in full-time employment resumed in October 1992. Slower growth from mid 1995 to mid 1997 was followed by a resurgence to August 2000 which has since faltered. At August 2002, full-time employment stood 0.3% below the August 2000 peak of 6.72 million; 15% above the low point in September 1992.

Total employment returned to growth later, in February 1993. Since then, the general trend in total employment has been rising more quickly than full-time employment. Strengthening growth in part-time employment has accelerated the divergence between total and full-time employment over the last two years. In August 2002, total employment stood at 9.34 million, 22% above the January 1993 low point.





EMPLOYED PERSONS
Period
Full-time aged
15–19 years

’000
Full-time aged
20+ years

’000
Total full-time

’000
Total part-time

’000
Total

’000
TREND (AUGUST)
1997
220.1
6048.5
6268.6
2164.5
8433.1
1998
216.7
6191.1
6407.8
2238.3
8646.0
1999
237.8
6274.6
6512.4
2317.1
8829.5
2000
240.6
6476.9
6717.5
2404.5
9122.0
2001
234.5
6384.4
6618.9
2542.6
9161.5
TREND (MONTHLY)
2001–02
September
232.6
6391.0
6623.6
2544.5
9168.0
October
230.2
6404.0
6634.2
2546.9
9181.1
November
227.8
6417.7
6645.4
2554.7
9200.2
December
225.6
6430.5
6656.1
2566.3
9222.4
January
224.2
6441.3
6665.5
2580.4
9245.9
February
223.5
6448.8
6672.3
2593.9
9266.2
March
223.7
6452.3
6676.1
2605.8
9281.8
April
224.2
6452.0
6676.2
2616.1
9292.3
May
224.4
6450.8
6675.2
2625.9
9301.2
June
224.1
6453.6
6677.7
2633.7
9311.5
2002–03
July
223.5
6461.2
6684.6
2639.6
9324.2
August
222.6
6472.0
6694.6
2642.7
9337.3
Source: Labour Force Australia, (6203.0), Monthly data.


Explanatory Notes

The Labour Force Survey collects Australia's official estimates of employment and unemployment each month by interviewing a sample of some 63,000 persons in private households and other dwellings (e.g. hotels, motels). The survey covers the usually resident civilian population of Australia aged 15 or more.

Employed persons are those aged 15 years and over who, during the reference week:
  • worked one hour or more for payment of any kind or profit in a job, business or farm, or
  • worked one hour or more without pay in a family business or farm, or
  • were employees who had a job but were not at work for various defined reasons, or
  • were employers, or own account workers who had a job but were not at work.

The requirement to work for one hour or more ensures that the employment measure reflects all persons contributing to economic production.

Full-time workers are employed persons who usually work more than 35 hours a week or did so during the reference week.

Employment is an indicator of economic activity, although turning points in the employment series tend to lag turning points in the business cycle.

Government departments, financial markets, industry organisations and academic analysts use employment data to monitor the economy’s performance and to develop economic and labour market policy. Employment (and unemployment) data are also used as social indicators by government departments, research organisations and welfare organisations.


Further Reading

Labour Force, Australia, Preliminary (6202.0)
Monthly. Estimates of employment, unemployment, unemployment rate and labour force participation rate, classified by State and Territory, sex, age, school and tertiary attendance, full-time/part-time status. On the ABS web site, see Statistics - Employment and unemployment.

Also see the Labour Force Framework reading list.



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