UNPAID WORK
DIRECTIONS FOR 2011 CENSUS
The 2006 Census included the topic of unpaid work.
ABS has in the past resisted the inclusion of these items in the Census, arguing that better quality data is available from time use surveys.
The ABS will review outcomes from the 2006 Census in terms of data quality, the usefulness of the information obtained through the questions and the appropriateness of the 2011 Census as a vehicle for the collection of data related to unpaid work. Initial analysis suggests that the 2006 Census data are relatively poor in quality compared with ABS survey data. There are methodological reasons why this might be the case.
Unless the ABS can be convinced there is sufficient justification that the Census is the most appropriate vehicle for the collection of this information, and it is shown that high quality data can be obtained, the topic of unpaid work may be excluded in the 2011 Census.
JUSTIFICATION
Submissions have been made in the past for Census questions about activities outside those covered by labour force statistics (such as unpaid work in the home and unpaid voluntary activities) and to identify the status of people not in the labour force.
Users advise that data about major activity identify significant areas of human activity not usually captured in more traditional social and economic statistics. Information on unpaid activities is important in identifying the characteristics of carers of people with special needs (such as the elderly, children and people with disabilities), and assisting with planning for both work and non-work environments.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Unpaid work has not been included in any Australian Census prior to 2006. For the 2001 Census, the ABS did not believe there was sufficient justification to modify the labour force questions used in the 1996 Census to include a question on unpaid work. There was concern that modifying the labour force questions would impact on the comparability of the data from previous Censuses and data from the monthly Labour Force Survey.
An Unpaid Work Consultative Committee was established in June 2003 to determine whether there was a need for a question on unpaid work in the 2006 Census. A need for data on unpaid work at the small area level was identified by the committee.
Four questions about unpaid work were included in the 2006 Census:
- unpaid domestic work
- unpaid care of others due to disability, illness or old age
- unpaid care of children
- voluntary work.
USER REQUIREMENTS
Information on unpaid work is required for:
- understanding the contribution that various population subgroups (and historically women in particular) make to national wellbeing through unpaid work
- examining the functioning of local communities.
AVAILABILITY OF NON-CENSUS DATA
Time Use Surveys are the key source of data on people's use of time, including unpaid work, and provide a wealth of information that could not be obtained through the Census, such as time taken on a range of specific activities. The third ABS Time Use Survey occurred in 2006. Results from the 2006 Time Use Survey are expected to be available either late 2007 or early 2008, and will be published in
How Australians Use Their Time, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4153.0).
Additional information has been collected through :
- the 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (results released in Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2003, cat. no. 4430.0)
- the 2006 Voluntary Work Survey (results released in Voluntary Work, Australia, 2006, cat. no. 4441.0)
- the Survey of Employment Arrangements, Retirement and Superannuation (results released in Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia, August 2004 - June 2005, cat. no. 6238.0)
- the Child Care Survey (results released in Child Care, Australia, June 2005, cat. no. 4402.0)
- the 2006 General Social Survey (results released in General Social Survey, Summary Results, Australia, 2006, cat. no. 4159.0)
- ABS State Supplementary Surveys.
Relevant publications include:
2006 CENSUS QUESTIONS
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