3301.0 - Births, Australia, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 18/11/2003   
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INTRODUCTION

1 Registration of births is the responsibility of state and territory Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages and is based on the data provided on an information form completed by the parents of the child. This form is the basis of the data provided to the ABS, by Registrars, for compilation into the aggregate statistics in this publication. Most data items are collected in all states and territories and therefore statistics at the national level are available for most characteristics. Some states, however, collect additional information, and some of this is produced in this publication.

2 In the main, statistics in this publication refer to births registered by state and territory Registrars during the calendar year shown. There is usually an interval between the occurrence and registration of a birth, and as a result of this delay some births occurring in one year are not registered until the following year or even later. This can be caused by either a delay by the parents in registering the birth, or a delay by the Registrar in registering the birth.

YEAR OF OCCURRENCE OF BIRTHS REGISTERED IN 2002

Year in which birth occurred

1996 and
earlier
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
State or territory of usual residence
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

New South Wales
1.3
0.7
0.6
0.6
0.9
11.6
84.4
Victoria
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.4
0.8
10.4
87.7
Queensland
0.7
0.5
0.4
0.5
1
12.8
84.1
South Australia
1.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.4
8.9
89.2
Western Australia
0.5
0.2
0.4
0.3
0.7
9.9
88.1
Tasmania
1.3
0.3
0.4
0.3
0.7
3.5
93.5
Northern Territory
0.3
-
0.1
0.1
0.1
8.5
91.1
Australian Capital Territory
0.3
0.1
-
0.1
0.1
11.1
88.4
Australia
0.8
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.8
10.9
86.2



3 To protect confidentiality, cell values of less than three have been suppressed.


STATES AND TERRITORIES

4 In the main, statistics for states and territories have been compiled and presented in respect of the state or territory of usual residence of the mother. However, in the following table data have been presented on a state or territory of registration basis. Births which took place outside Australia are excluded from the statistics.

BIRTHS, State or territory of usual residence of mother and state or territory of registration

State or territory of registration

State or territory of usual residence
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Aust.

New South Wales
84,328
983
467
40
20
np
np
735
86,583
Victoria
131
61,199
46
63
23
7
np
np
61,478
Queensland
543
44
47,125
15
18
11
8
7
47,771
South Australia
26
47
11
17,512
18
3
48
-
17,665
Western Australia
42
15
23
np
23,483
6
24
np
23,601
Tasmania
np
32
6
np
np
5,953
-
-
6,003
Northern Territory
32
np
33
30
17
-
3,598
np
3,724
Australian Capital Territory
75
6
7
4
np
np
-
4,018
4,112
Other Territories
np
np
-
-
40
-
-
-
51
Australia
85,195
62,339
47,718
17,673
23,622
5,990
3,683
4,768
250,988



5 In 2002 there were 511 births to women who usually lived overseas. These have been included in this publication with state or territory of usual residence classified according to the state or territory in which the birth was registered.

BIRTHS, Babies born in Australia to non-resident mothers

State or territory of registration
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002

New South Wales
34
50
54
231
312
331
338
Victoria
22
23
13
8
17
19
22
Queensland
59
114
89
111
108
108
116
South Australia
10
19
11
15
8
8
4
Western Australia
9
12
8
16
21
24
16
Tasmania
12
np
4
13
7
6
4
Northern Territory
4
-
np
9
6
8
6
Australian Capital Territory
7
np
np
5
4
7
5
Australia
157
223
184
408
483
511
511



6 As a result of an amendment made in 1992 to section 17(a) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901-1973 (Cwlth) the Indian Ocean territories of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands have been included as part of geographic Australia, hence another category of the state and territory classification has been created. This category is known as 'Other Territories' and includes Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Jervis Bay Territory.

7 Prior to 1993 usual residence data for Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands were included with Off-Shore Areas and Migratory in Western Australia while usual residence data for Jervis Bay Territory were included with the Australian Capital Territory. In 2002 there were 51 births to mothers usually resident in Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island or the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.


SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDEXES FOR AREAS (SEIFA), 2001

8 The ABS has developed summary measures, or indexes, derived from the 2001 Census of Population and Housing to measure different aspects of socio-economic conditions by geographic areas. Two of these indexes are included in table 6.7:
  • Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage/Disadvantage
  • Index of Education and Occupation.

9 The indexes have been constructed so that relatively advantaged areas have high index values. A higher score on the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage/Disadvantage indicates that an area has attributes such as a relatively high proportion of people with high incomes or a skilled workforce. It also means an area has a low proportion of people with low incomes and relatively few unskilled people in the workforce. Conversely, a low score indicates that an area has a higher proportion of individuals with low incomes, more employees in unskilled occupations, etc.; and a low proportion of people with high incomes or in skilled occupations.

10 The Index of Education and Occupation is designed to reflect the educational and occupational structure of areas. An area with a high score would have a high concentration of people with higher educational qualifications or undergoing further education, with a high percentage of people employed in skilled occupations. A low score indicates an area with concentrations of either people with low educational attainment, people employed in unskilled occupations, or the unemployed.

11 Further information can be found in the Information Paper: Census of Population and Housing-Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas, Australia, 2001 (cat. no. 2039.0).


INDIGENOUS BIRTHS

12 This publication includes data on the numbers of Indigenous births for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory. The data are regarded as being of sufficient quality to
publish.

13 The populations used to calculate Indigenous fertility rates for 1996 to 2000, and for 2002, are obtained from Experimental Projections of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population, 30 June 1996 to 30 June 2006 (cat. no. 3231.0), based on the 1996 Census of Population and Housing. The populations used to calculate Indigenous fertility rates for 2001 are the final 2001 experimental estimates of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population based on the 2001 census.


COVERAGE OF INDIGENOUS BIRTH REGISTRATIONS

14 There are several data collection forms on which people are asked to state whether they are of Indigenous origin. Due to a number of factors, results collated from these forms are not always consistent. The likelihood that a person will identify, or be identified, as Indigenous on a specific form is known as their propensity to identify as Indigenous. Propensity to identify as Indigenous can be thought of as the proportion of the total, unknown, number of Indigenous people who identify as such on a specific form.

15 Propensity to identify is determined by a range of factors, including the perception of how the information will be used, education programs about identifying as Indigenous, and emotional reaction to identifying as Indigenous.

16 Currently there are four estimates of annual numbers of Indigenous births. Each is based on a different collection, with a different propensity to identify as Indigenous:
  • 1991 census-based population projections, covering the period 1991 to 2001. The number of Indigenous children in the 1991 census was used to estimate the fertility rate for 1991. Assuming this fertility rate to continue, and making other assumptions about mortality and interstate migration, the number of births in subsequent years was projected.
  • 1996 census-based population projections, covering the period 1996 to 2006. There are two series of projections; a low series and a high series. The low series uses a very similar method to the 1991 census-based population projections, in that the number of births each year is estimated using the propensity to identify found in the 1996 census. The high series uses an alternative assumption of an increasing propensity to identify based on the change between 1991 and 1996 in propensity to identify.
  • Birth registrations: this publication is based on the registration of births with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages in each state and territory.
  • Perinatal Data Collection: this data is primarily about babies born in hospitals and their mothers.

17 Estimated coverage of Indigenous births in tables 2.9 and 9.9 is defined as the ratio of the number of Indigenous births registered in a particular year to the corresponding number of projected Indigenous births from the low series of
Experimental Projections of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population, 30 June 1996 to 30 June 2006 (cat. no. 3231.0).

18 On this basis estimated coverage of Indigenous births in Australia in 2002 was 95%, and ranged from 63% in the Australian Capital Territory to 107% in the Northern Territory. As these estimates are based on 1996 census-based
projections (that is, relatively old information) they should be treated with caution.

19 The ABS is currently producing a new set of projections of the Indigenous population using 2001 census data and expected to be released in 2004 in Experimental Estimates and Projections of Indigenous Australians, 1991 to
2016 (cat. no. 3238.0). From this, new projected Indigenous births for the years 2002 to 2016 will be available.

20 Estimated coverage of Indigenous births for 2002 calculated from the new projected Indigenous births will differ from those currently shown in tables 2.9 and 9.9.


RELATED PRODUCTS

21 Other ABS products which may be of interest to users include:
  • AusStats-electronic data (see Explanatory Note 22)
  • Australian Demographic Statistics, cat. no. 3101.0-issued quarterly
  • Australian Demographic Trends, cat. no. 3102.0-issued irregularly
  • Causes of Death, Australia, cat. no. 3303.0-issued annually
  • Deaths, Australia, cat. no. 3302.0-issued annually
  • Demography-state and territory specific publications issued annually, cat. nos 3311.1-8
  • Experimental Projections of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population, cat. no. 3231.0-issued irregularly
  • Experimental Estimates and Projections of Indigenous Australians, 1991 to 2016, cat. no. 3238.0-expected to be released in 2004
  • Demographic Estimates and Projections: Concepts, Sources and Methods, Statistical Concepts Library.

22 AusStats is a web based information service which provides ABS full standard product range online. It also includes companion data in multidimensional datasets in SuperTABLE format, and time series spreadsheets.

23 Current publications and other products released by the ABS are listed in the Catalogue of Publications and Products, Australia (cat. no. 1101.0). The Catalogue is available from any ABS office or the ABS web site. The ABS also issues a daily Release Advice on the web site which details products to be released in the week ahead.

24 As well as the statistics included in this and related publications, additional information is available on this site by accessing Themes/Demography.