4156.0 - Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview, Australia, Oct 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/10/2010   
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ADULT PARTICIPATION

Characteristics of participants

During the 12 months prior to interview in 2005-06, 66% of Australians aged 15 years and over participated in physical activities for recreation, exercise or sport. Overall, males (66% or 5.2 million) and females (66% or 5.3 million) showed similar participation rates for sport and physical recreation. Three-quarters (75%) of persons aged 15-17 years and 25-34 years participated in sport and physical recreation while the lowest participation rate was for persons aged 65 years and over (49%).

Persons living in capital cities participated in sport and physical recreation at a similar rate to those living in other areas of Australia (66% compared with 65%). Participation rates varied among the states and territories, ranging from 58% in the Northern Territory to 80% in the Australian Capital Territory.

The participation rates for full-time and part-time employed persons were 72% and 73% respectively while the participation rate for unemployed persons was 66%. For persons not in the labour force, the participation rate was particularly low at 55%. However, this was largely because a substantial proportion of this group are aged 65 years and over.

3.1 ADULT PARTICIPATION IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL RECREATION(a), Selected characteristics - 2005-06

NUMBER
PARTICIPATION RATE
Males
Females
Persons
Males
Females
Persons
'000
'000
'000
%
%
%

Age
15-17
307.8
302.8
610.5
77.3
72.1
74.6
18-24
735.2
671.3
1 406.4
73.3
71.8
72.6
25-34
1 054.5
1 033.9
2 088.3
76.3
74.0
75.1
35-44
975.4
1 035.9
2 011.2
66.7
69.1
68.0
45-54
871.8
923.4
1 795.2
63.5
65.7
64.6
55-64
670.1
716.3
1 386.5
60.4
64.6
62.5
65 and over
591.0
652.9
1 243.9
50.8
48.2
49.4
State or Territory
New South Wales
1 726.8
1 711.6
3 438.4
65.3
62.9
64.1
Victoria
1 254.6
1 357.4
2 611.9
63.6
66.1
64.8
Queensland
1 033.5
1 037.1
2 070.6
67.6
66.7
67.1
South Australia
390.8
415.0
805.8
64.8
66.7
65.8
Western Australia
547.2
553.1
1 100.2
70.7
70.3
70.5
Tasmania
120.8
128.2
248.9
64.6
65.7
65.2
Northern Territory(b)
34.1
30.6
64.7
60.4
56.1
58.3
Australian Capital Territory
97.9
103.6
201.5
79.5
79.5
79.5
Region
Capital cities(c)
3 322.6
3 343.5
6 666.1
67.3
65.4
66.3
Rest of Australia(d)
1 883.1
1 992.9
3 876.0
63.8
66.3
65.0
Labour Force Status
Employed
3 907.4
3 298.2
7 205.6
70.8
73.5
72.0
Full-time
3 343.4
1 772.7
5 116.2
70.2
74.2
71.5
Part-time
564.0
1 525.5
2 089.5
74.2
72.8
73.2
Unemployed
193.8
168.3
362.1
68.4
63.7
66.1
Not in Labour Force
1 104.4
1 869.9
2 974.3
53.0
55.5
54.5
Total
5 205.7
5 336.4
10 542.1
66.0
65.7
65.9

(a) Relates to persons aged 15 years and over who participated in physical activities for recreation, exercise or sport as players during the 12 months prior to interview.
(b) Comprises predominantly urban areas only.
(c) Comprises the six state capital city statistical divisions.
(d) Includes all of ACT and NT.
Source: Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no 4177.0).


Table 3.2 shows the number of players who participated in sport or physical recreation organised by a club or association (e.g. playing tennis as part of a tennis club competition). The table also shows participation in non-organised activity. Examples of this include swimming at the beach with the family, walking for exercise and playing tennis socially. Some players participated in both organised and non-organised activity. Of the 10.5 million participants in sport and physical recreation, a large majority (82% or 8.6 million) had undertaken at least some non-organised activity, while about half (42% or 4.4 million) had participated in some activity which was organised.

In the 12 months prior to interview in 2005-06, 28% of the population aged 15 years and over had participated in some organised sport or physical recreation. The participation rate was similar for males (29%) and females (26%). There were also similar proportions of males and females participating in some non-organised activity (53% and 54% respectively).

3.2 ADULT PARTICIPATION IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL RECREATION(a), Type of participation - 2005-06

Organised only
Non-organised only
Both organised and non-organised
Total organised
Total non-organised
Total participation

NUMBER ('000)

Males
1 004.8
2 916.0
1 280.5
2 285.3
4 196.5
5 205.7
Females
918.6
3 213.0
1 194.8
2 113.4
4 407.7
5 336.4
Persons
1 923.4
6 128.9
2 475.3
4 398.7
8 604.2
10 542.1

PARTICIPATION RATE (%)

Males
12.7
37.0
16.2
29.0
53.2
66.0
Females
11.3
39.6
14.7
26.0
54.3
65.7
Persons
12.0
38.3
15.5
27.5
53.7
65.9

(a) Relates to persons aged 15 years and over who participated in physical activities for recreation, exercise or sport as players during the 12 months prior to interview.
Source: Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 4177.0).








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