Statistical News
Developments in ABS Statistics

Rural and Regional Statistics
The Rural and Regional Statistics National Centre is pleased to announce the upcoming release of the Rural and Regional Statistics Newsletter.

This biannual release will deliver information on ABS statistics and developments relevant to users of rural and regional statistics around Australia. It will also showcase the breadth of statistics available for decision-makers at local levels. The first release of this newsletter is planned for April 2007.

To subscribe to this newsletter, please email <regional.statistics@abs.gov.au> with “Subscribe - Rural and Regional Newsletter” in the subject line.

Development of Service Industry Surveys
The ABS is planning to conduct surveys on Pubs, Taverns and Bars; Clubs (Hospitality); Public Libraries; Museums; and Legal Practices in respect of the 2007-08 financial year. The Service Industry National Statistics Centre (SI-NSC) will commence consultation with relevant stakeholders in April 2007. The aim of stakeholder consultation is to develop a common understanding between the ABS and key clients of the purpose of each survey and to specify survey requirements (eg. content, scope).

During the consultation and development phase, the SI-NSC will contact those organisations that made relevant submissions to the 2005 Service Industry Survey Forward Work Program review. If you would like to be included in the development of any of these surveys please contact the Service Industry National Statistics Centre by email <service.industries.program@abs.gov.au>.

Counts of Australian Businesses
This publication (ABS cat. no. 8165.0) presents business counts, including data measuring levels and rates of business entries to, and exits from, the Australian economy, and business survival. These data are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Business Register and are based on the ABS definition of a business (see ABS cat. no. 8162.0).

Detailed counts are presented by industry, state and territory, type of legal organisation, sector, and employment size.

For the majority of businesses, the main state of business operations is based on the main business address. However, for the remainder, the main state refers to the state or territory with the highest number of payees. Where a business operates in more than one state or territory, that business is only categorised to its main state or territory.

The data presented in the tables have been confidentialised to ensure no individual business can be identified.

Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics
This publication (ABS cat. no. 5673.0.55.001) presents selected data on the characteristics of wage and salary earners in the Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) with the highest average income from wages and salaries in 2003-04 for each state and territory.

Data for all SLAs in Australia are available from Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia - Data Cubes, 2003-04 (ABS cat. no. 5673.0.55.003).
The estimates of the number of wage and salary earners and their characteristics, including age, sex, occupation and income, have been compiled from the Australian Taxation Office’s Individual Income Tax Return Database.

For further information about the publication please contact Andrew Stidston on (08) 8237 7668 or email <regional.statistics@abs.gov.au>.