1. The development of Australia as a multicultural society and the subsequent wider interest in constructing statistical profiles of particular ethnic or cultural population groups has, over the years, increased the use of and need for quality language data.
2. To meet these growing needs, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has incorporated language questions in a range of social statistical collections and has developed standards for a number of language variables for use both within and outside the organisation.
3. Information on languages is required for the investigation and development of language services such as interpreter/translation services and for the implementation of national and state policies on language.
4. Data on Main Language Spoken at Home are regarded as an indicator of 'active' ethnicity and also as useful for the study of inter-generational language retention. The availability of such data may help providers of language, welfare and community services to effectively target the geographic areas or population groups that need those services.
5. The variable Main Language Spoken at Home has been endorsed by the Standing Committee on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (SCIMA) as one of the standard set of indicators for use in measuring cultural and linguistic diversity. It is to be progressively implemented in administrative and service settings to provide data to determine, measure and monitor service needs (access and equity requirements), and to provide a measure of cultural diversity in its broader sense.
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