6291.0.55.001 - Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery, May 2008 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/06/2008   
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Standard Errors
Estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) are based on information collected from people in a sample of dwellings, rather than the entire population. Hence the estimates produced may differ from those that would have been produced if the entire population had been included in the survey. The most common measure of the likely difference (or 'sampling error') is the standard error (SE). New models for calculating standard errors for these estimates were introduced in November 2007, due to the progressive introduction of the new sample for LFS, currently taking place.

The ABS considers that estimates with a relative standard error of 25% or more may be subject to sampling variability too high for most practical purposes.

To determine if an item has a relative standard error of 25% or more, in SuperTABLE, right click in the centre of the table, select annotate cells - standard annotations, and select 'Annotate RSE cut-off values'.

To indicate those cells in spreadsheets with a relative standard error of 25% or more, annotations have been applied prior to dissemination.

In addition, the tables below have been supplied to show estimates at which the relative standard error is 25%. Estimates of the size indicated in the tables, or smaller, are considered to be subject to sampling variability too high for most practical purposes.

Additional information on how standard errors for LFS estimates are produced is available in Labour Force Survey Standard Errors, Data Cube (cat. no. 6298.0.55.001).


State
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Aust.

Employed
Feb 78 to Sep 82
4.5
4.5
3.5
2.5
2.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
4.5
Oct 82 to Aug 87
4.0
4.0
3.0
1.8
2.0
1.0
1.8
1.3
3.5
Sep 87 to Aug 92
4.5
4.5
3.0
2.0
2.5
1.3
1.8
1.5
4.0
Sep 92 to Aug 97
5.3
4.6
3.5
2.4
2.9
1.3
1.3
1.0
4.0
Sep 97 to Mar 01
5.9
4.5
4.1
2.4
2.8
1.1
1.0
1.1
4.4
Apr 01 to Oct 07
4.9
4.1
3.7
2.0
2.3
1.1
1.4
1.1
4.9
Nov 07
5.0
4.1
3.8
2.0
2.4
1.2
1.3
1.1
5.0
Dec 07
5.0
4.2
3.9
2.0
2.4
1.2
1.2
1.1
5.0
Jan 08
5.1
4.3
3.9
2.1
2.5
1.2
1.2
1.2
5.1
Feb 08
5.2
4.4
4.0
2.1
2.6
1.2
1.1
1.2
5.1
Mar 08
5.4
4.4
4.1
2.1
2.9
1.2
1.0
1.2
5.2
Apr 08
5.5
4.6
4.5
2.2
3.0
1.2
0.9
1.3
5.3
May 08
5.5
4.7
4.5
2.3
3.1
1.3
0.9
1.3
5.4
Jun 08 Onwards
5.6
4.8
4.6
2.3
3.2
1.3
0.9
1.3
5.4
Unemployed
Feb 78 to Sep 82
4.5
4.5
3.5
2.5
2.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
4.5
Oct 82 to Aug 87
4.0
4.0
3.0
1.8
2.0
1.0
1.8
1.3
3.5
Sep 87 to Aug 92
4.5
4.5
3.0
2.0
2.5
1.3
1.8
1.5
4.0
Sep 92 to Aug 97
5.3
4.6
3.5
2.4
2.9
1.3
1.3
1.0
4.0
Sep 97 to Mar 01
5.9
4.5
4.1
2.4
2.8
1.1
1.0
1.1
4.4
Apr 01 to Oct 07
5.7
4.9
4.2
2.7
3.0
1.7
2.4
1.5
4.7
Nov 07
5.8
5.0
4.3
2.8
3.2
1.7
2.2
1.6
4.8
Dec 07
5.9
5.1
4.4
2.8
3.3
1.7
1.9
1.6
4.8
Jan 08
6.0
5.3
4.5
2.9
3.4
1.7
1.8
1.7
4.9
Feb 08
6.2
5.4
4.7
3.0
3.6
1.8
1.6
1.7
4.9
Mar 08
6.4
5.5
4.8
3.0
3.9
1.8
1.5
1.8
5.0
Apr 08
6.5
5.8
5.2
3.2
4.1
1.8
1.4
1.9
5.1
May 08
6.6
5.9
5.3
3.3
4.3
1.9
1.3
2.0
5.2
Jun 08 Onwards
6.8
6.1
5.5
3.3
4.5
1.9
1.3
2.1
5.2
NILF
Feb 78 to Sep 82
4.5
4.5
3.5
2.5
2.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
4.5
Oct 82 to Aug 87
4.0
4.0
3.0
1.8
2.0
1.0
1.8
1.3
3.5
Sep 87 to Aug 92
4.5
4.5
3.0
2.0
2.5
1.3
1.8
1.5
4.0
Sep 92 to Aug 97
5.3
4.6
3.5
2.4
2.9
1.3
1.3
1.0
4.0
Sep 97 to Mar 01
5.9
4.5
4.1
2.4
2.8
1.1
1.0
1.1
4.4
Apr 01 to Oct 07
5.9
4.8
4.4
2.5
2.9
1.3
1.8
1.3
5.3
Nov 07
6.0
4.9
4.5
2.5
3.0
1.4
1.7
1.4
5.3
Dec 07
6.1
5.0
4.5
2.6
3.0
1.4
1.6
1.4
5.4
Jan 08
6.2
5.1
4.6
2.6
3.1
1.4
1.5
1.4
5.4
Feb 08
6.2
5.2
4.7
2.7
3.2
1.4
1.4
1.5
5.5
Mar 08
6.6
5.4
4.8
2.7
3.6
1.4
1.2
1.5
5.6
Apr 08
6.7
5.6
5.3
2.9
3.7
1.5
1.1
1.6
5.7
May 08
6.8
5.7
5.5
2.9
3.9
1.5
1.1
1.6
5.8
Jun 08 Onwards
6.9
5.9
5.6
3.0
4.0
1.5
1.0
1.7
5.8



Capital City/Balance of State
Sep 87 to
Aug 92
Sep 92 to
Aug 97
Sep 97 to
Mar 01
Apr 01 to
Oct 07
From Nov 07

Sydney Major Statistical Region
4.5
5.3
5.7
5.0
5.8
Balance of New South Wales Major Statistical Region
4.5
5.3
5.7
5.0
5.7
Melbourne Major Statistical Region
4.5
4.6
4.6
4.2
5.0
Balance of Victoria Major Statistical Region
4.5
4.6
4.3
4.1
4.9
Brisbane Major Statistical Region
3.0
3.5
3.7
3.5
4.3
Balance of Queensland Major Statistical Region
3.0
3.6
4.3
3.7
4.7
Adelaide Major Statistical Region
2.0
2.4
2.4
2.1
2.5
Balance of South Australia Major Statistical Region
2.0
2.5
2.2
2.0
2.4
Perth Major Statistical Region
2.5
2.9
2.6
2.5
3.4
Balance of Western Australia Major Statistical Region
2.5
2.9
2.8
2.3
3.2