Telling it like it is - one place at a time
Australia's urban areas are characterised by low density, sprawling suburbs with some of the largest homes in the world. In 2019-20, the average area of new houses was around 236 square metres. Although the Census does not capture data on floor area, a useful indicator of dwelling size is the number of bedrooms. Where are the largest dwellings in Australia?
Not many people know that the ABS has published a large amount of historical Census data on their website. If you want to see how the Australian population, and the dwellings they live in, has changed over the years, then this data is a real treasure trove. This blog looks at countries of birth in Australia, comparing 1971 and 2021 Census data.
When the 2021 Census data was released in July, the number and proportion of the population claiming no religion attracted significant interest. Almost 10 million Australians, or 38.7% of the population, now claim they have no religion. This is an increase of 41% on the 2016 figure. The Census is the only reliable source of data on religion in Australia, and is typically used for planning schools and religious venues. What else does the data tell us about people with no religion?
Data on volunteering has been collected in the Census since 2006. It's a simple question that merely asks whether or not a person has volunteered for an organisation or group in the previous twelve months. Although it doesn't provide an indication of the frequency or nature of volunteering activity, the Census data does provide good data on the demographic characteristics of volunteers. What does the 2021 Census tells us about volunteering in Australia?
In late June the ABS released the first batch of 2021 Census data. The Census provides critical information on the socio-economic characteristics of the population, which underpins the evidence base for service planning. This is the first in a series of a number of blogs highlighting important and interesting changes to the Australian demographic landscape. This blog looks at the Nepalese population in Australia.
I recently attended a seminar that looked at spatial patterns of a particular CALD community in Melbourne. The presenter expressed surprise at the age structure as there were very few children born in this particular country. To me, it was a classic example of "traps for young players" when analysing Census data on CALD communities. They are generally measured by birthplace, ancestry and language, but the size of the community will differ depending on the variable used. With the release of 2021 Census data later this year, it's worthwhile revisiting this topic ahead of time.
The current outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Sydney has some close parallels to the second wave that hit Melbourne last year. Not only is the Sydney outbreak proving difficult to control, but it appears that public health messages are not reaching multicultural communities (CALD). This is particularly true where English proficiency is poor. This blog is essentially a Sydney version of one that I wrote last year about Melbourne. It looks at the main languages spoken in Sydney, highlighting those with poor English proficiency, and their spatial distribution in the metropolitan area.
The 2021 Australian Census will be held on Tuesday, 10th August. While the Census provides us with a count of people and dwellings, it has other important uses. These include determining appropriate electoral boundaries and number of representatives, as well as the allocation of GST funding to the states. While the 2021 Census is being conducted during a global pandemic, with some parts of Australian in lockdown, the data will still provide a comprehensive picture of the size and characteristics of the population. It will establish new trends, dispel myths, but also provide insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the data will not be released until mid 2022, what can we look forward to?
The ABS has recently released new data on the size of Australia's overseas born communities. At June 2020, there were 7.65 million people in Australia who were born overseas, comprising 29.8% of the population. Where were these people born? What are the fastest growing communities? What is their age structure? How does this relate to the 2021 Census? Read on to find out.
In common with many western countries, Australia's population is ageing. This is typically shown by increases in both the number and proportion of older people. But older people are not a homogenous group - they show a wide range of diversity with regard to their social and economic characteristics. This blog will use the latest population data released by the ABS to look at characteristics of the older population in Australia, as well as their spatial distribution in South Australia.
Working from home became de rigueur for many people in 2020. Travel restrictions and social distancing on account of a contagious virus meant that there was a large increase in the number of people setting up workplaces in their spare room on the kitchen bench. But not all jobs can be done from the comfort of your spare room, so what are the characteristics of the working from home population? What insights can be gained from the available data?
