Media release –
New South Wales
New 2011 Census data reveals more about New South Wales30 October 2012 | NSW/133New data from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today has added to the snapshot of New South Wales revealed by the release of initial Census results in June. ABS New South Wales Regional Director Paul Williams said the latest release of 2011 Census data marked an important time for the ABS, Australia, and New South Wales. “2011 Census data released earlier this year has already shed some light on who we are as a nation and a state, and where we live,” Mr Williams said. “The latest tranche of Census data now paints a picture of what we do and how we live, helping to further shape New South Wales over the next five years, and providing a brighter future for our state. “In particular, Census data provides a valuable insight into the growth and development of New South Wales, our people and our workforce.” Today’s second Census release provides data on the following topics at all geographic levels, from Australia and states and territories, to capital cities and suburbs:
Mr Williams encouraged everyone to make use of Australia’s richest statistical resource, which provides a comprehensive snapshot of New South Wales and all areas within it. “Census data is available free online and can be used for a wide range of purposes. Our range of new, easy-to-use tools, including QuickStats, makes searching Census data quick and easy,” he said. Data from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing is now available on the ABS website. Visit www.abs.gov.au/census. Key second release Census data for New South Wales is detailed below. 2011 Census of Population and Housing second release data – New South WalesLabour force and hours workedThe latest figures show the total labour force of New South Wales consisted of 3,334,857 people aged 15 years and over at the time of the last Census on 9 August 2011, an increase of 242,254 people from 3,092,603 in 2006.Consistent with its total population, New South Wales had the largest number of full-time employed people and people who reported they were not in the labour force. More than half (60.2 per cent) of the labour force of New South Wales reported being employed full-time, with 63.3 per cent of this workforce male. In comparison, of the 28.2 per cent of New South Wales’ labour force who reported being employed part-time, 67.1 per cent were female, a drop from 67.7 per cent in 2006. In 2011, just over one third (34.6 per cent) of the population aged 15 years and over reported not being in the labour force compared to 34.3 per cent in 2006. This represented an increase of 132,265 people who included retirees, students, and stay at home parents. Even though the proportion of people who reported being unemployed stayed the same between 2006 and 2011, at 3.5 per cent, there was an increase of 13,367 people. There has also been a decline in the proportion of people who reported working 40 hours or more the week before Census night, from 47.5 per cent in 2006, to 45.8 per cent in 2011, a decrease of 1.7 percentage points. IndustryConsistent with the national trend, New South Wales has experienced a shift in its primary employment industry, with more people now reporting employment as doctors, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, child care workers and aged care providers in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry than in the traditional Manufacturing and Retail industries.The New South Wales Health Care and Social Assistance industry accounts for 11.6 per cent of the state’s employment, an increase of 1.1 percentage points since 2006, while Retail Trade, which was the primary employment industry in New South Wales in 2006, is now the second most reported industry of employment. It accounted for 10.3 per cent in 2011, a 0.8 percentage point decrease since 2006. OccupationIn terms of occupation, the New South Wales population were still working in the same top five occupations as in 2006: Professionals (22.7 per cent); Clerical and Administrative Workers (15.1 per cent); Managers (13.3 per cent); Technicians and Trades Workers (13.2 per cent); and Community and Personal Service Workers (9.5 per cent).However, Professionals showed the largest proportionate increase since 2006, from 21.2 per cent to 22.7 per cent, reflecting a faster rate of growth compared to other occupations. There was a slight decline in the proportion of people reporting the occupations of Clerical and Administrative workers, Managers and Technician and Trades Workers. The proportion of females in each of the top five occupations also increased slightly, except for Clerical and Administrative Workers, where the proportion decreased from 76.4 per cent of the total to 75.9 per cent. Method of travel to workThe latest Census data further revealed that people in New South Wales still prefer to travel to work by car than any other means, with 62.6 per cent of the population reporting this as their primary method of travel to work (either as the driver or passenger).While the household car is still the preferred method of travel to work for most people, there is an increasing proportion of people travelling by train, up from 5.4 per cent in 2006 to 6.2 per cent (35,096 people). There has also been a small decline in the proportion of people who choose to walk to work, with only 4.1 per cent of people in 2011 compared to 4.4 per cent in 2006, reflecting a slower rate of growth compared to other methods of travel. Highest level of educationTurning to education, there has been an increase in the proportion of people in New South Wales undertaking additional studies, with increases in the number of people who reported completing Postgraduate and Bachelor Degrees, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates, Advanced Diplomas and Diplomas, and Certificates III/IV.The number of people who have successfully completed Postgraduate Degrees has risen from 162,916 in 2006 to 238,853 in 2011 – an increase of 46.6 per cent. Fields of studyManagement and Commerce (20.3 per cent) and Engineering and Related Technologies (14.8 per cent) were the two most common reported fields of study, as they were in 2006. However, there has been an increase in the proportion of people who reported Management and Commerce related studies (1.9 percentage points), and a decline in those who reported Engineering and Related Technologies studies (0.7 percentage point).There have been increases in the proportions of people studying both Society and Culture (up from 8.7 per cent in 2006 to 10.2 per cent in 2011) and Health (up from eight per cent to 8.5 per cent). State and territory migrationInternal migration is the movement of people from one place of residence to another within Australia. These figures are traditionally used for infrastructure and community planning.The latest figures from the 2011 Census have shown a continued decline in the proportion of people in New South Wales who moved within the state in the five years prior to Census night. This is consistent with the national trend. There has been continued gradual growth in the number of people who maintain their usual address in the five years prior to Census night in the state. The proportion of people who have moved to New South Wales in the five years prior to Census night from interstate has grown from seven per cent in 2006 to 7.2 per cent in 2011, and the proportion of people moving to New South Wales from overseas has also jumped markedly from 12 per cent in 2006 to 14.7 per cent in 2011. Of the New South Wales residents who moved in the year prior to the 2011 Census, most moved within the State (81.6 per cent) while 9.8 per cent of people had moved to New South Wales from overseas in the year prior to 2011. The Census collects information on where people lived, one year ago and five years ago prior to Census night. This information only reflects movements which coincide with these particular points in time, even though there may have been multiple movements during this period. |