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WHAT'S NEW AT ABS ... SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDEXES FOR AREAS (SEIFA) SEIFA is a suite of four summary measures that have been created from 2006 Census information. The indexes can be used to explore different aspects of socio-economic conditions by geographic areas. For each index, every geographic area in Australia is given a SEIFA score which shows how disadvantaged that area is compared with other areas in Australia. Each index summarises a different aspect of the socio-economic conditions of people living in an area. They each summarise a different set of social and economic information. The indexes take into account a range of factors in determining socio-economic conditions. The four indexes in SEIFA 2006 are:
The concept of relative socio-economic disadvantage is neither simple, nor well defined. SEIFA uses a broad definition of relative socio-economic disadvantage in terms of people's access to material and social resources, and their ability to participate in society. While SEIFA represents an average of all people living in an area, SEIFA does not represent the individual situation of each person. Larger areas are more likely to have greater diversity of people and households. On 26 March, three important releases relating to SEIFA were made available on the ABS website.
The SEIFA indexes are available in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format. These spreadsheets have been optimised for use in Microsoft Excel and may lose functionality in other spreadsheet packages. A separate downloadable spreadsheet is available for each of four geographical areas:
Each spreadsheet contains the four SEIFA indexes that have been created for that geographical area, each on separate worksheets. There is also a summary worksheet containing information on all four indexes for that geographical area. The worksheet for each index shows:
Users of SEIFA datacubes are advised to carefully read the accompanying Information Paper and Technical Manual.
This paper is an information manual. It is designed to explain SEIFA in non-technical terms. The paper describes the indexes for summarising the socio-economic profile of population by areas and illustrates their possible uses. The paper is written so that each chapter is relatively self-contained for online access, and therefore may seem repetitive if all chapters are read together.
The purpose of this paper is to give users a good technical understanding of SEIFA 2006. The paper begins with a discussion of the concepts of socio-economic advantage and disadvantage. The paper then discusses the variables used in the construction of SEIFA 2006 and explains the methodology used to construct the indexes. It provides results from the Principal Components Analysis, describes the validation process, gives examples of how SEIFA can be used in analysis, and outlines some of the issues to consider when using SEIFA. RURAL AND REGIONAL STATISTICS The ABS is committed to a program of improving the range of small area data available to users of regional statistics. In addition to making existing data sources (both ABS and non-ABS) more easily accessible, administrative data collected by other government agencies are also being utilised to compile statistics at the regional level that have not been previously available. On 27 March, the Rural and Regional Statistics National Centre released Information Paper: Persons with Main Source of Income from Own Unincorporated Business, Experimental Estimates for Small Areas, 1996-97 to 2003-04 (cat. no. 6225.0). This Information Paper describes and presents experimental regional income estimates relating to individuals whose principal, or main, source of personal income is derived from their own unincorporated business(es). The estimates are based on Individual Income Tax Return data obtained from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and were provided to the ABS in aggregated form only, at the statistical local area level. No information about individual taxpayers has been released to the ABS. The ABS is very grateful to the ATO for the support it has given to this project. In conjunction with the Information Paper data cubes were also released - Persons with Main Source of Income from Own Unincorporated Business, Experimental Estimates for Small Areas - Data Cubes, 1996-97 to 2003-04 (cat. no. 6225.0.55.001). These data cubes contain estimates of the aggregated individual income (or 'take home pay') these persons receive from their own unincorporated business(es). The total income they receive from all sources are also available in the data cubes. The estimates compiled to date are for the financial years 1996-97 to 2003-04 and are available for various levels of the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) such as statistical local area, local government area, statistical subdivision and statistical division. The statistics are designed to provide information regarding the contribution of this population to the economic well-being of regions within Australia. This new series complements previously published statistics compiled from Individual Income Tax Return data, namely Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia (cat. no. 5673.0.55.003). This series is generally updated on an annual basis and an update of this series, with data for the 2004-05 reference period, was released on 4 April 2008. Together these series contribute towards the information need relating to improving the availability of data on regional economic wellbeing as identified in the Regional Statistics Information Development Plan. For further information on the Regional Statistics Information Development Plan please refer to Information Paper: Regional Research in Australia - the Statistical Dimension: an Information Development Plan for Rural and Regional Statistics, 2005 (cat. no. 1362.0). POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER AUSTRALIANS, QUEENSLAND, 2006 (cat. no. 4713.3.55.001) These electronic tables which were released on 27 March present approximately 50 tables of information on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders for Queensland based on the 2006 Census. They complement the information presented in the national publication Population Characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (cat. no. 4713.0). Topics covered in the national report and sets of tables for Australia and each State/Territory include: the demographic and geographic distribution of the population and its growth in recent years; mobility; household composition; language and religion; education; work; income; housing; transport and need for assistance. Some key characteristics of the Indigenous population in Queensland, based on 2006 Census usual residence data, are listed below.
Beginning in January 2008, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website provides the expected release details for all statistical products due for publication in the coming six months. The web page 'Releases Scheduled for the Next Six Months' is revised on the ABS website at the beginning of each month. This six-month forecasting is intended to keep clients informed about products and when they will become available. All ABS Core Statistical and Other Statistical publications that usually have a catalogue number will be detailed as well as prominent non-statistical publications such as the ABS Annual Report and Australian Statistics Advisory Council Annual Report. Access 'Releases Scheduled for the Next Six Months' from the ABS Home page via 'Future Releases' or use this link. Information on all ABS product releases can also be accessed from ABS Release Advice. This web page also provides links to Previous Releases, Releases Scheduled for the Next Six Months and Main Economic Indicator Releases.QUEENSLAND THEME PAGE This page provides access to Queensland statistical information including statistical releases and links to non-ABS sources. A wide range of economic and social statistics is covered. Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.
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