A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
January, the month of Janus, is a good time for us to reflect on our achievements in 2002, and our plans for 2003. During 2002, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics provided a number of new products and services of interest to culture and recreation data users, details of which have been provided in this or earlier editions of this newsletter.
A few highlights included the release of the Culture and Recreation theme page and the Directory of Culture and Leisure Statistics, which are freely available on the ABS web site. The first compilation of data on the funding of sport and recreation provided by all levels of government was also released in 2002, as was the first detailed survey of book retailers in Australia (more information about these projects are provided in this newsletter). Another highlight (presented in our last newsletter) was the release of data on sport and physical recreation industries classified, for the first time, using the Australian Culture and Leisure Industry Classification, meaning that much more detailed data were provided than when the industries were last surveyed, six years earlier.
Most of the data collected in the 2001 Census of Population and Housing has now been released. Among the recent releases are the fascinating and popular Social Atlases of the capital cities of Australia. Results of the 2001 National Health Survey and Indigenous Health Survey were also released recently. Summary information about these releases are provided in this newsletter.
Significant NCCRS publications to watch out for in 2003 are:
- two publications, one on culture and one on sport and recreation, using data from the 2001 Census of Population and Housing, about people employed in relevant industries and occupations; and
- two compendium publications, one on culture and one on sport and recreation, which draw together a very wide range of information which has been collected by the ABS in recent years on these activities (eg: sport participation, attendance at cultural venues or sporting matches, household expenditure, government funding, business sponsorship, employment (paid and unpaid), trade and industry data).
These four publications are only produced every five years, after release of the five-yearly Census data. In addition we will be continuing our annual series of publications on book publishing, book retailing and cultural funding by government. Most of this work is made possible through funding provided to the NCCRS by the Cultural Ministers Council and the Sport and Recreation Ministers Council.
Other significant projects on which the NCCRS will be working throughout 2003 are the reviews of the national classifications of industries and occupations, and the preparation of information development plans for our main fields of statistics. More information on each of these projects is below.
We are looking forward to a very busy and productive year in 2003, and plan to keep you well informed with updates throughout the year.
Lisa Conolly
Acting Director
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