4914.0.55.001 - Newsletter: Age Matters, Jul 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/07/2006   
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LATEST NEWS FROM NASU

Australia’s 15th national Census (and the twelfth since the end of World War 2) will be held on the 8 August 2006. Much has changed in the 95 years since Australia conducted its first national Census in 1911. Those Australians aged 95 years or over who may have been included in that Census would still have to wait another four years before they could access their details, if the Time Capsule provision of 2006 had been in existence at the time.

As explained below in the review of Standards for Social, Labour and Demographic Variables, the 2006 Census will now capture the number of centenarians in Australia by their actual age. Another big change is the option to collect Census information electronically via the e-Census.

While much of the attention of the ABS has been focussed on the Census, NASU have been progressing the Information Development Plan (IDP) for Ageing following the completion of Phase 1 consultation in May. The main themes of the Plan are Housing and Built Environment, Community and Social Participation, Retirement, Labour Force Participation, Health, Care and Population Sub-groups.

The IDP will be provided to a wide range of government, academic and community organisations prior to final publication of the plan. This broader community engagement is expected to occur in October 2006. If you would like to have the opportunity to receive a copy, please email henry.zuk@abs.gov.au with IDP in the subject line.

Finally, I would like to announce that David Martyn who helped established NASU in 2002 and is well known to many readers of Age Matters will be returning to the ABS in October following his involvement with Statistics NZ. David will be the new Director of the Queensland Statistical Services and Household Surveys Branch which includes the National Ageing Statistics Unit. In the interim, I will be looking after NASU and my contact details can be found on the Where You Can Find Us page below. A second unrelated change is our Assistant Director’s move to Canberra to continue her career in the ABS. Mae Mulheran has been active in NASU activities, including the progression of the IDP, in the last 12 months. We wish her well in her new role. The remainder of the team remains unchanged.

We would welcome any comments, suggestions or feedback that you may have on this newsletter or the Ageing theme page. Please email henry.zuk@abs.gov.au and let us know what you think.

Andrea McIntyre
Director
National Ageing Statistics Unit