How accurate are population forecasts?

Population issues have become highly political in Australia, dominating headlines whenever new data is released.  In 2019, the Australian Government responded to the growing policy pressures by establishing the Centre for Population.  One of its aims is to produce more accurate population forecasts.  As someone with a background in producing population forecasts, this claim intrigued me.  Population forecasts are not predictions, they are the outcome of a set of assumptions.  In this blog I will reflect on the issues and challenges associated with population forecasting, and what options might be available in the future.

What is the largest school in Victoria?

If you work with data you probably know all about the Victorian Government's online repository - if you don't click on this link.  Each year the Department of Education conducts a school Census, which collects enrolment data at a point in time.  In this blog I've used data from the Department of Education to look at characteristics of schools, particularly by type and size.