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Media release –
Tasmania

New 2011 Census data reveals more about Tasmania

30 October 2012 | TAS/33

New data from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today has added to the snapshot of Tasmania revealed by the release of initial Census results in June.

ABS Tasmanian Regional Director Glen Sward said the latest release of 2011 Census data marked an important time for the ABS, Australia, and Tasmania.

“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 Sward said.

“The latest tranche of Census data now paints a picture of what we do and how we live, helping to further shape Tasmania 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 Tasmania, 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:
  • Labour force as reported
  • Hours worked
  • Industry and occupation
  • Method of travel to work
  • Highest level of education and fields of study
  • Place of work
  • State and territory migration.

Mr Sward encouraged everyone to make use of Australia’s richest statistical resource, which provides a comprehensive snapshot of Tasmania 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 Tasmania is detailed below.

2011 Census of Population and Housing second release data – Tasmania

Labour force and hours worked

The latest figures show Tasmania’s total labour force consisted of 232,125 people aged 15 years and over at the time of the last Census on 9 August 2011, an increase of 12,966 people from 219,159 in 2006.

More than half (54.5 per cent) of Tasmania’s labour force reported being employed full-time, with 65 per cent of this workforce male. In comparison, of the 32.9 per cent of Tasmania’s labour force who reported being employed part-time, 68.8 per cent were female, a drop from 69.8 per cent in 2006.

In 2011, just over one third (37.7 per cent) of the population aged 15 years and over reported not being in the labour force compared to 37.4 per cent in 2006. This represented an increase of 8,272 people who included retirees, students, and stay at home parents.

The proportion of people who reported being unemployed in 2011 was 3.7 per cent, a decline of 0.1 of a percentage point from 2006 (3.8 per cent). However the actual number of people who reported being unemployed has increased by 406 person since 2006.

There has also been a decline in the proportion of people who reported working 40 hours or more the week before Census night, from 41.8 per cent in 2006, to 39 per cent in 2011, a decrease of 2.8 percentage points.

Industry

Consistent with the national trend, Tasmania 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 Tasmania Health Care and Social Assistance industry accounts for 12 per cent of the state’s employment, an increase of 0.6 percentage point since 2006, while Retail Trade, which was the primary employment industry in Tasmania in 2006, is now the second most reported industry of employment. It accounted for 11.3 per cent in 2011, a 0.6 percentage point decrease since 2006.

Occupation

In terms of occupation, the Tasmania population were still working in the same top five occupations as in 2006: Professionals (18.5 per cent); Technicians and Trades Workers (14.8 per cent); Clerical and Administrative Workers (13.8 per cent); Managers (12.4 per cent); and Labourers (11.3 per cent).

However, Professionals showed the largest proportionate increase since 2006, from 17.5 per cent to 18.5 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 and Managers. Labourers experienced a slightly larger decline of 1.2 of a percentage point since 2006 to 2011.

The proportion of females who reported working as Professionals has increased from 55.4 per cent in 2006 to 57.3 per cent in 2011 – a 1.9 percentage point increase.

Method of travel to work

The latest Census data further revealed that people in Tasmania still prefer to travel to work by car than any other means, with 69.9 per cent of the population reporting this as their primary method of travel to work (either as the driver or passenger).

There has also been a small decline in the proportion of people who choose to walk to work, with only five per cent of people in 2011 compared to 5.7 per cent in 2006, reflecting a slower rate of growth compared to other methods of travel.

Highest level of education

Turning to education, there has been an increase in the proportion of people in Tasmania 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 6,335 in 2006 to 9,537 in 2011 – an increase of 50.5 per cent.

There has also been an increase in the number of people who completed a Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate as their highest level of education. This increased from 4,311 in 2006 to 5,967 in 2011 - an increase of 38.4 per cent.

Fields of study

Engineering and Related Technologies (15.9 per cent) and Management and Commerce (14.3 per cent) were the two most common reported fields of study, as they were in 2006.
However, there has been a decline in the proportion of people who reported Engineering and Related Technologies studies (0.3 percentage point), and an increase in those who reported Management and Commerce related studies (1.5 percentage points).

There have been increases in the proportions of people studying both Society and Culture (up from 9.1 per cent in 2006 to 10.8 per cent in 2011) and Health (up from nine per cent to 9.7 per cent).

State and territory migration

Internal 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 Tasmania who moved within the state in the five years prior to Census night. This is consistent with the national trend.

The proportion of people who have moved to Tasmania in the five years prior to Census night from interstate has declined from 19 per cent in 2006 to 18.1 per cent in 2011, and the proportion of people moving to Tasmania from overseas has jumped markedly from five per cent in 2006 to 6.9 per cent in 2011.

Of the Tasmania residents who moved in the year prior to the 2011 Census, most moved within the State (78.7 per cent), while 15.3 per cent of people had moved to Tasmania 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.

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