• Summary
• Downloads
• Explanatory Notes
• Related Information
• Past Releases

A Data Cube containing Types of Employment can be found in the July 2005 issue from the Details Tab and under the Past & Future Releases tab above.

A Data Cube containing Measures of Labour Underutilisation can be found in the April 2005 issue from the Details Tab and under the Past & Future Releases tab above.



LABOUR STATISTICS NEWS


LABOUR THEME PAGE

The ABS Labour Theme Page, available on the ABS web site, provides a guide to the range of ABS statistics on the labour market, as well as links to the latest data released.

FREE DATA ON THE WEB

The entire content of the ABS website became accessible free of charge from Monday 12 December 2005. This follows all ABS publications becoming accessible free of charge on 1 July 2005. A web page with more information and frequently asked questions is now available:
<https://www.abs.gov.au/about/pricing>.

COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR MEASURING THE AGE OF WITHDRAWAL FROM THE LABOUR FORCE

Research Paper: Comparison of Methods for Measuring the Age of Withdrawal from the Labour Force (cat. no. 1351.0.55.009) was released 10 November 2005. This paper explores the use of three summary methods for calculating the age of withdrawal from the labour force. Two of these methods estimate the 'expected' age of withdrawal, while the third method estimates the 'average' age of withdrawal. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages which need to be considered in the context of the specific research question and available data sources.

2006 SURVEY OF EMPLOYEE EARNINGS AND HOURS

The two-yearly Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (EEH) will next be conducted in May 2006. EEH provides statistics on earnings and hours paid for, as well as the coverage and pay outcomes of employees on awards, registered agreements and informal arrangements. As a result of the changes to the workplace relations system there had been some doubt about the feasibility of collecting data on pay setting arrangements. Key users of these statistics have now been consulted and ABS has decided to collect data on pay setting arrangements in May 2006 on a similar basis to previous surveys. The survey questions relating to pay setting will then be redeveloped to take into account the new workplace relations system, with the redeveloped questions to be introduced for the May 2008 EEH survey.

LABOUR STATISTICS: CONCEPTS, SOURCES AND METHODS

Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods (cat. no. 6102.0.55.001) was updated on 15 December 2005. A new chapter covering the Multi Purpose Household Survey was added and a number of existing chapters were updated.

MULTI PURPOSE HOUSEHOLD SURVEY

The Multi Purpose Household Survey was introduced in 2004-05. This survey provides statistics annually for a number of small, self-contained topics, including labour topics. Two labour-related topics were conducted in 2004-05: a topic on retirement and a topic covering labour force participation. Retirement and Retirement Intentions (cat. no. 6238.0) and Barriers and Incentives to Labour Force Participation (cat. no. 6239.0) will be released in early 2006.

SUPPLEMENTARY SURVEYS ON LABOUR TOPICS

The Monthly Population Survey comprises the Labour Force Survey and a range of supplementary surveys, which provide detailed information on a range of topics. Education and Work, Australia (cat. no. 6227.0) and Job Search Experience, Australia (cat. no. 6222.0) were released on 14 December 2005. See the Recent Releases in this issue for more details.

ABS EMAIL NOTIFICATION SERVICE

By subscribing to this free service, you will be kept informed via email of the latest releases of ABS products. To subscribe, follow the link from the ABS home page <https://www.abs.gov.au>, provide your email address, and select your topics of interest.

Recent and upcoming statistical releases
Release date/title of publication		Reference period	Catalogue number
December 2005
	Education and Work, Australia	May 2005	6227.0
	ndustrial Disputes, Australia	September quarter 2005	6321.0.55.001
	Job Search Experience, Australia	July 2005	6222.0
	Labour Force, Australia	November 2005	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	November 2005	6291.0.55.001
	Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods	2005	6102.0.55.001
	Wage and Salary Earners, Public Sector, Australia	September quarter 2005	6248.0.55.001
January 2006
	Australian Labour Market Statistics	January 2006	6105.0
	Barriers and Incentives to Labour Force Participation, Australia	August 2004 to June 2005	6239.0
	Job Vacancies, Australia	November 2005	6354.0
	Labour Force, Australia	December 2005	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	December 2005	6291.0.55.001
	Labour Force Characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, Experimental Estimates from the Labour Force Survey	2002-2004	6287.0
	Year Book Australia	2006	1301.0
	Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia	August 2004 to June 2005	6238.0
February 2006
	Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC)	2006	1292.0
	Average Weekly Earnings, Australia	November 2005	6302.0
	Household Expenditure Survey and Survey of Income and Housing - Confidentialised Unit Record Files	2003-04	6540.0
	Household Expenditure Survey and Survey of Income and Housing - Confidentialised Unit Record Files, Technical Paper	2003-04	6540.0.00.001
	Household Expenditure Survey and Survey of Income and Housing, User Guide	2003-04	6503.0
	Labour Force, Australia	January 2006	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	January 2006	6291.0.55.001
	Labour Price Index, Australia	December quarter 2005	6345.0
March 2006
	Employee Earnings, Benefits and Trade Union Membership, Australia	August 2005	6310.0
	Industrial Disputes, Australia	December quarter 2005	6321.0.55.001
	Job Vacancies, Australia	February 2006	6354.0
	Labour Force, Australia	February 2006	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	February 2006	6291.0.55.001
	Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia	September 2005	6220.0
	Survey of Education and Work, Australia, Confidentialised Unit Record File on CD-ROM	May 2005	6227.0.30.001
	Underemployed Workers, Australia	September 2005	6265.0
	Wage and Salary Earners, Public Sector, Australia	December quarter 2005	6248.0.55.001
April 2006
	Australian Labour Market Statistics	April 2006	6105.0
	Characteristics of Small Business, Australia	2005	8127.0
	Labour Force, Australia	March 2006	6202.0
	Labour Force, Australia - Detailed Delivery	March 2006	6291.0.55.001
	Measures of Australia's Progress	2006	1370.0
	Multi-Purpose Household Survey 2004-2005, Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record File	2004-05	4100.0.55.001
	Multi-Purpose Household Survey 2004-2005, Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record File, Technical Paper	2004-05	4100.0

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS

The spreadsheets and data cubes referenced in this publication are available on the ABS web site at <https://www.abs.gov.au> [AusStats - Publications and Data], then [Data Cubes] or [Time Series Spreadsheets].

INQUIRIES

For information about other Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) statistics and services, please refer to the back of this publication.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Assistant Director, Labour Market Statistics on Canberra (02) 6252 7636.

LABOUR MARKET SUMMARY


KEY MEASURES

						% change from
Measure			Series type	Period	Current figure	Previous quarter(a)	Previous year(b)
Employed
	Persons	'000	Trend	Nov 2005	10 028.4	0.0	2.3
	Full-time	'000	Trend	Nov 2005	7 134.1	-0.4	1.9
	Part-time	'000	Trend	Nov 2005	2 894.3	0.8	3.6
	Part-time employment as a proportion of total employment	%	Trend	Nov 2005	28.9	(c)0.2	(c)0.3
Unemployed
	Persons	'000	Trend	Nov 2005	541.5	1.4	-0.1
	Looking for full-time work	'000	Trend	Nov 2005	386.0	2.5	0.0
	Looking for part-time work	'000	Trend	Nov 2005	155.5	-1.3	-0.5
Unemployment rate
	Persons	%	Trend	Nov 2005	5.1	(c)0.1	(c)-0.1
Long-term unemployment
	Persons	'000	Trend	Nov 2005	97.3	4.7	-8.7
	As a proportion of total unemployment	%	Trend	Nov 2005	18.0	(c)0.6	(c)-1.7
Annual labour underutilisation rates(d)
	Long-term unemployment rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	1.2	na	(c)-0.1
	Unemployment rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	5.5	na	(c)-0.4
	Underemployment rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	5.6	na	(c)0.0
	Labour force underutilisation rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	11.1	na	(c)-0.4
	Extended labour force underutilisation rate	%	Original	Sep 2004	12.2	na	(c)-0.3
Children living without an employed parent(e)		%	Original	Jun 2005	14.9	na	(c)-2.3
Labour force participation rate
	Persons aged 15-64 years	%	Original	Nov 2005	75.1	(c)0.0	(c)0.8
	Total	%	Trend	Nov 2005	64.4	(c)-0.2	(c)0.6
Actual hours worked
	Aggregate weekly hours	mill. hours	Original	Nov 2005	342.9	-1.0	1.4
	Average weekly hours - Persons	hours	Original	Nov 2005	34.2	-1.4	-0.9
	Average weekly hours - Full-time	hours	Original	Nov 2005	41.4	-1.5	-0.8
	Average weekly hours - Part-time	hours	Original	Nov 2005	16.5	-2.3	0.2
Part-time workers
	Proportion who preferred to work more hours	%	Original	Nov 2005	24.9	(c)1.0	(c)-1.0
Wage price index
	Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses	index no.	Trend	Sep qtr 2005	106.5	1.0	4.2
Average weekly earnings
	Full-time adult ordinary time earnings	$	Trend	Aug 2005	1 022.60	1.5	6.2
	All employees total earnings	$	Trend	Aug 2005	805.40	1.4	6.2
Compensation of employees
	Household income account	$m	Trend	Sep qtr 2005	111 245	1.8	7.3
	Average earnings (National Accounts basis nominal) per week	$	Trend	Sep qtr 2005	972	1.1	3.5
Industrial disputes
	Working days lost	'000	Original	Sep qtr 2005	53.9	2.0	-42.3
	Working days lost per 1,000 employees	number	Original	Sep qtr 2005	6.2	2.8	-44.9
Job vacancies
	Australia	'000	Trend	Aug 2005	140.9	-1.8	9.0
na not available
(a) Same period previous quarter (monthly data is presented for the middle month of each quarter).
(b) Same period previous year.
(c) Change is in percentage points.
(d) See table 4.1 or the Glossary for further explanation of labour underutilisation rates.
(e) As a proportion of all children aged under 15 years. See the Explanatory Notes for information on family data.

EMPLOYMENT: TREND SERIES

Full-time and total employment

Males and females

Proportion of total employment, Males

Proportion of total employment, Females

Males and females

Proportion of total unemployment

Labour underutilisation rates - 1994-2004

Persons

Males

Females

Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses, Quarterly change

Full-time adult ordinary time earnings, Quarterly change

All employees total earnings, Level

Working days lost, Quarter ending

Job vacancies, By sector