1344.8.55.002 - ABStract, Statistics News, Australian Capital Territory, March 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/03/2009   
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A MESSAGE FROM THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR
CENSUS TELLS A STORY ABOUT CULTURAL DIVERSITY
ABS INFORMATION CONSULTANCY CHARGES
CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSING IS HERE!
EXPECTED MAJOR ANNUAL & IRREGULAR RELEASES

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A MESSAGE FROM THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR

    Seeking ACT Government input on statistical priorities
    Each year I visit the chief executives of ACT Government to seek high-level views on department priorities for the year. The meetings this year are focussing on the key statistical issues flowing from the COAG (Council of Australian Governments) initiatives, statistical partnerships with other jurisdictions and advice on their key priorities for input into the State Statistical Forum and the Australian Statistical Advisory Council. Also for discussion is working together to obtain the best count possible for the 2011 Census of Population and Housing.

    Progress on the ACT Information Development Plan 2008-2011 (ACT IDP) is well underway with the Information Development Steering Committee (IDSC) establishing a working group for key projects. The first meeting of the Information Development Working Group was held on 10 February 2009 to establish the terms of reference, the setting up of three taskforce groups covering Indigenous, children & youth and infrastructure issues and a draft schedule of activities for review by the IDSC.

    Increasing statistical capability in the ACT
    In my last message I mentioned that November heralded the inaugural NatStats Conference. This event proved a success with approximately 460 attendees, a number of whom were from the ACT. All feedback received has been positive. The conference participants also formulated a statistical declaration that would guide the development of a national statistics strategy for Australia in the 21st century.

    Two of the ACT IDP key activities are to "Increase the capability within and across ACT government departments for statistical research and analysis" and to "Increase awareness and understanding of ABS data and seek to improve ABS statistics for the ACT". Upcoming events being organised by the ABS include the following:
        A Community Indicator Summit in Brisbane on 22nd - 23rd July, 2009. A NSS web page has been established and this will be updated progressively.
        An event in association with the Global Project on Measuring the Progress of Societies. The OECD School on Statistics, Knowledge, Policy - Understanding Societal Change will be held in Canberra (ABS House) from 27 July - 1 August, 2009.

    A recent event in our National Statistical Seminar Series What shape is your data in? Adding value to your data was well attended by ACT government representatives. If you would like to be notified of future seminars in this series please contact Laura Neill.
      Karen Macdonald
      ACT Regional Director
      Picture: Flags of the world
      CENSUS TELLS A STORY ABOUT CULTURAL DIVERSITY

      The Census and Statistics Act 1905 states that "The census shall be taken in the year 1981 and in every fifth year thereafter, and at such other times as are prescribed" (section 8(1)). Data collected provides a wealth of information about the Australian community, it assists governments and the community in understanding the make up of the population by providing high quality, objective information.

      This article continues the series started in our last newsletter on how data from the Census can be tailored to suit specific purposes.

      ACT Health requested an Information Consultancy to prepare and provide detailed information on the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) population within Canberra. The final publication provided 21 complex tables, 80 graphs and analytical commentary surrounding the data together with a tailored presentation for ACT Health to use for training purposes and information sessions.

      On 24 November, 2008, the ABS presented some of the findings at a seminar held at the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre in Civic. The seminar was well attended and received by a number of government and non-government organisations that work specifically within the multicultural community.

      The presentation gave an overall picture of multiculturalism in the ACT and Australia and highlighted particular statistics in relation to language, employment, proficiency in English, children and those aged 65 years and over.

      The 2006 Census showed that over 150 languages were spoken in the ACT and 200 languages in the Australian community. Those who were born in a non-English speaking country or spoke a language other than English at home accounted for 18% of the ACT population and 19% of the Australian population.

      The Census also showed that in the ACT, 17% of those aged 65 years and over both spoke a language other than English at home and were born in a non-English speaking country, compared to 15% of those aged 65 years and over in Australia.

      Many more statistics on cultural diversity can be found free-of-charge on the ABS website. Census Data Online allows you to access and discover valuable information and tailor it to your specific needs.

      Picture:  ABS and ACT Health representatives at the multicultural presentation
      Caption: ABS and ACT Health representatives at the multicultural presentation. Top left: Jennie Dunn, Brent Perkins and Mariette O'Connell from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Bottom left: Anna John and Athalene Rosborough from ACT Health Department.

      Picture: Mariette O'Connell keeping the audience enthralled with statistical information.
      Caption: Mariette O'Connell keeping the audience enthralled with statistical information.

      ABS INFORMATION CONSULTANCY CHARGES

      The ABS operates with due regard to the public benefit generated from access to statistics, and to government policies such as user pays and access and equity.

      Tailoring information for informed business decisions
      In addition to the wealth of FREE statistics on the Australian Bureau of Statistics' website, the ABS also offers customised solutions to businesses and organisations with complex specific statistical needs. Our consultants will provide you with objective information for accurate and informed decisions, to suit your timeframe and budget.
      To discuss your information needs further, contact client.services.

      Things you should know:
      • generally, the first point of contact should be the National Information Referral Service (NIRS) Tel: 1300 135 070. Often they will be able to assist you to find the information you require on the web. If the information you require is not on the web, then NIRS will put a referral through to the ACT Regional Office.
      • information consultancy costs start at around ($360.00) and they are priced according to a cost recovery guideline and no profit is made from them.

      Prices are not negotiable and are already discounted and are priced via ABS guidelines. The ABS website has some information on NIRS under the 'Contact Us' tab in the upper right hand corner of the home page. The website also has some general information on IC's under 'Services'.

      Free CDATA Online training is now available!
      CDTA Online combines a range of information on Australian society from the 2006 Census, with web graphing and mapping software. CDATA Online provides instant access to valuable Census data topics such as age, education, housing, income, transport, religion, ethnicity, occupation and more. This free online product allows you to create your own tables, maps and graphs of Census characteristics for all ABS geographic areas. CDATA online would suit anyone interested in Census Data, so whether you work in government, small business, part of a community service organisation or in the education sector, CDATA Online would be a great asset.

      For more information please check the ABS website and head to the ABS Pricing Policy document in the 'About Us' section.

      CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSING IS HERE!

      The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has introduced Creative Commons (CC) licensing for most of the content on its website. This will lessen the restrictions on the use of free data from the website considerably by changing the copyright from "all rights reserved" to "some rights reserved". In effect, what the ABS is asking is only that it be acknowledged as the source of the data. People are free to re-use, build upon and distribute our data, even commercially. This makes a wealth of data readily available to the community, researchers and business, facilitating innovative research and development projects based on quality statistics, and promoting the wider use of statistics in the community, which is one of our core objectives.

      This step has followed a process of investigation and consultation with various stakeholders including Commonwealth Government Agencies and the Creative Commons community of interest. The change was achieved through the release of a new copyright statement on 18 December 2008, and the addition of CC metadata to the footer of each page of the website on 19 December 2008. A document entitled Attributing material sourced from the ABS website is also provided.

      SO WHAT EXACTLY IS CREATIVE COMMONS?
      Creative Commons offers flexible copyright management for all types of creative work, by providing free tools that allow authors to mark their work with the freedoms they want it to carry. This encourages collaboration and innovation in the further use of the CC licensed information, while still offering legal protection to the original author. The CC metadata can also be used by search applications to assist people in discovering appropriately licensed information.

      There are a range of licences that creators can use to manage their copyright in the online environment, each offering its own specific protections and freedoms. The ABS will be utilising the Attribution 2.5 Australia licence. Australia is one of over 40 countries worldwide who have taken up the Creative Commons project. The change to CC licensing on the ABS website has put the ABS among the vanguard of government agencies adopting this initiative.

      Creative Commons licenses do not apply to customised data which are covered by the ABS Conditions of Sale. If you have any questions about Creative Commons or ABS licensing generally, please email intermediary management.

      WHAT IS A LICENSED INTERMEDIARY?
      A Licensed Intermediary is an organisation or individual who provides ABS data in their own products or services. ABS encourages this. We want to see our statistics widely used as this contributes to our mission of assisting and encouraging informed decision making, research and discussion.

      DO I NEED A LICENCE TO DISTRIBUTE ABS DATA?
      Distribution of data downloaded free from the ABS website is covered by Creative Commons license Attribution 2.5 Australia. More details can be found in our Copyright statement.

      Conditions pertaining to the distribution of customised data purchased from the ABS are detailed below.

      Some questions to consider if you wish to distribute customised data you have purchased from the ABS:

      1. Will you ONLY be distributing the data on a non-charging, public access website? (i.e. freely available to anyone with internet access)

      Yes Permission is required but there will be no charge. Please contact us
      and we will send an agreement for you to sign.

      No Permission is required and charges may be applicable. Please go to next question.

      2. Are you distributing the data in some other way? (e.g. hard copy, restricted access website)

      Yes Please go to next question.

      3. Does the output of your product or service contain more than 10% ABS intellectual property? (e.g. if your product has 100 pages and ABS information makes up more than 10 of them.)

      Yes Permission is required and a licence fee applies. Please contact us and we will send you further details and an agreement to sign.

      No Permission is required but there will be no charge. Please contact us and we will send an agreement for you to sign.

      HOW DO I OBTAIN A LICENCE?
      For information on licenced distribution of data downloaded free from the ABS website please see the details of Creative Commons license Attribution 2.5 Australia and Attributing material sourced from the ABS website. If you wish to distribute customised data purchased from the ABS you will need to enter into an agreement with the ABS to on-provide that data in your products or services.

      GENERAL CONDITIONS
      The ABS encourages licensed intermediaries as a way of increasing the use of ABS data for informed decision making, research and discussion within governments, business and the community, even where the intermediary's products or services compete directly with those of the ABS.

      Where intermediaries require ongoing delivery of data or have other special requirements, the full cost will be borne by the intermediary.

      The data, product or service required will be charged according to current ABS pricing policy. If applicable, licence fees are a separate and additional payment. Where individuals or organisations distribute customised data purchased from the ABS, it is ABS policy that this be done under a licensing arrangement.

      The ABS will not enter into any exclusive distribution arrangements and specifically reserves the right to enter into similar arrangements with other intermediaries.

      The ABS cannot engage in any conduct that contravenes the Trade Practice Act 1974.

      Any reproduction, distribution or commercialisation of ABS intellectual property not covered by Creative Commons, beyond that allowed by the Copyright Act 1968, requires the prior written agreement of the Commonwealth, in the form of a contract or letter of permission. Value adding to ABS data does not extinguish ABS intellectual property rights.

      For further information contact:
      The Manager
      Intermediary Management
      Australian Bureau of Statistics
      Locked Bag 10
      Belconnen ACT 2616
      Or
      Telephone (02) 6252 6998, Fax (02) 6252 8103
      Email: intermediary management

      EXPECTED MAJOR ANNUAL & IRREGULAR RELEASES

      GENERAL

      1216.0.15.001
      Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) - Electronic Structures, 01 July 2009 (June)

      1218.0
      Standard Economic Sector Classification of Australia (SESCA), 2008 (June)

      1308.8
      In fACT - Statistical Information on the ACT and Region, May 2009 (May)

      1386.0
      What's New in Regional Statistics, June 2009 (June)

      CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING

      2059.0.55.001
      Census of Population and Housing: Australia's Children and Youth, 2006 (April)

      DEMOGRAPHY

      3218.0
      Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2007-08 (April)

      3413.0
      Migrant Statistics News, April 2009 (April)

      3414.0
      Guide to Migrant statistical Sources, 2008 (June)

      SOCIAL STATISTICS

      4102.0
      Australian Social Trends, 2009 (June)

      4211.0
      Education and Training Matters, June 2009 (June)

      4362.0
      National Health Survey: Summary of Results; State Tables, 2007-08 (May)

      4363.0.55.001
      National Health Survey: Users' Guide - Electronic Publication, 2007-08 (May)

      4364.0
      National Health Survey: Summary of Results, 2007-08 (May)

      4510.0
      Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia, 2008 (May)

      4529.0
      Statistical Framework for Family and Domestic Violence, 2008 (June)

      4610.0.55.008
      Experimental Estimates of the Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production, 2000-01 to 2006-07 (June)

      4618.0
      Water Use on Australian Farms, 2007-08, (May)

      4620.0
      Natural Resource Management on Australian Farms, 2007-08 (May)

      4627.0
      Land Management and Farming in Australia, 2007-08 (June)

      4653.0
      Environment and Energy News, June 2009 (June)

      4914.0.55.001
      Age Matters, June 2009 (June)

      NATIONAL ACCOUNTS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FINANCE

      5352.0
      International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics, 2008 (April)

      5506.0
      Taxation Revenue, Australia, 2007-08 (April)

      5512.0
      Government Finance Statistics, Australia, 2007-08 (April)

      5518.0.55.001
      Government Finance statistics, Education, Australia, 2007-08 (April)

      5673.0.55.003
      Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia - Data Cubes, 2005-06 (April)

      LABOUR STATISTICS AND PRICES

      6104.0
      Labour Statistics in Brief, Australia, 2009 (May)

      6224.0.0.55.001
      Labour Force, Australia: Labour Force Status and Other Characteristics of Families, April 09 (May)

      6275.0
      Locations of Work, November 2008 (April)

      6305.0.55.001
      Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, August 2008 (April)

      6306.0
      Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, August 2008 (June)

      6359.0
      Forms of Employment, Australia, November 2008 (May)

      AGRICULTURE

      7101.0
      Ag Mag - The Agriculture Newsletter, June 2009 (June)

      SECONDARY INCOME AND DISTRIBUTION

      8153.0
      Internet Activity Australia, December 2008 (April)

      8165.0
      Counts of Australian Businesses, Including Entries and Exits, June 2006 to June 2008 (April)

      8166.0
      Summary of IT Use and Innovation in Australian Business, 2007-08 (June)

      8667.0
      Legal Services, Australia, 2007-08 (June)

      TRANSPORT

      9503.0.55.001
      Tourism Region Maps and Concordance Files, Australia, 2008 (May)