6224.0.55.002 - Improvements to Family Estimates from the Labour Force Survey, 2008  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 17/09/2008  First Issue
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EFFECT ON PRODUCTS


STANDARD PRODUCTS AFFECTED

The standard products affected by the new families methodology are:

  • Labour Force Status and Other Characteristics of Families - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6224.0.55.001);
  • Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001); and
  • Australian Labour Market Statistics (cat. no. 6105.0).

From the release on 16 October 2008, Labour Force Status and Other Characteristics of Families - Electronic Delivery will consist of two separate sets of datacubes. The first set will contain family estimates for each month from August 2004 onwards produced using the improved method. The second set will contain family estimates for June of previous years produced using the current method.

In the datacubes for August 2004 onwards, the labour force status variable will have the two new 'Not determined' categories ('Not determined - defence force personnel' and 'Not determined - other'). Variables related to labour force status, including status of employment of husband or head of family, will likewise include the two new 'Not determined' categories.

From the release of September 2008 data on 16 October 2008 in Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001), relationship in household data appearing in datacubes FM1 to FM4 will have fewer 'relationship not determined' responses for usual residents of households, as many of these records will have been coded to their correct category. Data for months prior to September 2008 will have a slightly higher number of 'relationship not determined' responses than data for September 2008 onwards. Data for August 2004 to August 2008 will be revised with the five-yearly revision of LFS data in early 2009, resulting in a consistent time series for August 2004 onwards.

From the January 2009 issue of Australian Labour Market Statistics (cat. no. 6105.0), table 1.6 of this publication will reflect the reduced number of 'relationship not determined' responses as these records will have been recoded to their correct category. The labour force status of family members appearing in table 1.7 will incorporate the two new 'Not determined' categories.


FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

At this stage, while estimates will be revised based on the new methodology, there will be no change to the format or structure of LFS families products. However, in the near future, ABS intends to review whether the standard families products can be improved, and whether additional families products are required.