This chapter presents a picture of the Australian labour market. While other official statistics generally have a particular economic or social focus, labour statistics cut across both dimensions, and therefore provide useful insights into economic performance and community life in Australia.
The chapter briefly describes key labour statistics concepts and measures (e.g. employment, unemployment, job vacancies, earnings, industrial disputes), highlights the main features of the Australian labour market in 2010–11, examines developments in the Australian labour market over the medium and long-term, and presents more detailed analysis of a number of issues affecting the Australian labour market.
Statistics contained in the Year Book are the most recent available at the time of preparation. In many cases, the ABS website and the websites of other organisations provide access to more recent data. Each Year Book table or graph and the bibliography at the end of each chapter provides hyperlinks to the most up to date data release where available.
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This page first published 24 May 2012, last updated 11 November 2015
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INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents a picture of the Australian labour market. While other official statistics generally have a particular economic or social focus, labour statistics cut across both dimensions, and therefore provide useful insights into economic performance and community life in Australia.
The chapter briefly describes key labour statistics concepts and measures (e.g. employment, unemployment, job vacancies, earnings, industrial disputes), highlights the main features of the Australian labour market in 2010–11, examines developments in the Australian labour market over the medium and long-term, and presents more detailed analysis of a number of issues affecting the Australian labour market.
Two additional articles are included in this chapter: 50 Years of Labour Force: now and then and Labour force and other characteristics of farmers.
Related information can be found in a number of chapters, including chapters 7 POPULATION and 12 EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
Information on employment for individual industries can be found in chapters 15 to 25.