1304.5 - Stats Talk WA, Mar 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/03/2009   
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Client Liaison
Summary of Events

BizLinks Seminar
On Wednesday 25 February, the ABS participated in the second All-of-Government BizLinks seminar held at the State Library of WA.

Representatives from seven Government agencies delivered presentations to promote different services that their organisations offer to small businesses and to educate the audience on issues that they may encounter in the early stages of their business’s development.

The free BizLinks seminar attracted a number of small business owners and others who were considering launching their own businesses in the near future. Participants were given free information packs, as well as the opportunity to ask the presenters questions about issues raised throughout the seminar.

Climate Change in Focus
The ABS hosted the first of the combined Statistics Consultative Group meetings on Thursday 19 February. Rather than meeting separately, the former Economic and Social Statistical Consultative Groups have joined forces and will now meet to discuss broader issues that cover both areas of interest.

In the most recent meeting, group members were given presentations by guest speakers Julian Fairhall from the Office of Energy, Wenona Hadingham from the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Gemma Van Halderen, the ABS Branch Head for Environment and Agriculture. The presentations centred around the information requirements for climate change policy and the related implications for statistics.

Sea Change Regions
On 4 March, Andrew Howe from the ABS Regional Population Unit in South Australia presented at the Coast 2009 Conference held in Mandurah. Andrew’s presentation centred on the population trends in sea change regions within WA.

Andrew highlighted the population increases in sea change regions between 1996 and 2006 and then revealed the population projections of these regions up to the year 2027. An interesting statistic mentioned was the 34.8% (to 561,400) increase of people living in WA sea change areas over a ten year period to 2006. The conference addressed other major issues including climate change, the impacts of the Global Financial Crisis and the need for effective emergency management planning.