ABS data is an important resource for many social researchers. Current data and publications are made freely available and updated daily. Here are just a few important statistical publications and initiatives that have been released in the past few months. These releases will be useful for many students and researchers.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new report on welfare spending by governments in Australia; it documents spending increases over the past 8 years and shows families and the aged as the major beneficiaries. The report titled Welfare Expenditure in Australia 2005-06 provides estimates of welfare expenditure in Australia for the period 1998-99 to 2005-06 and is available online from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's website. On a related topic is a recent research report by Peter Saunders from The Social Policy Research Centre at the University of NSW. The report is called Towards New Indicators of Disadvantage, Deprivation and Social Exclusion in Australia and is available from the centre's website. To check Fisher Library's catalogue holdings in this research area search under the subject heading 'Public Welfare Australia'.
Earlier this month the Australian Parliamentary Library released the research paper Electoral division rankings: Census 2006. This paper is one of many sources that will be of interest to anyone researching the current election and electoral information. The paper "provides an analysis by Commonwealth electoral division of socio-demographic data from the first release of the 2006 Census of Population and Housing." The rankings provide an interesting electoral snapshot on a range of variables. Which electorate has the most children aged under 5 years, persons born overseas, the highest median weekly family income, lone person households or households with an internet connection? Rankings are available for the following categories: population, religion, ethnicity, families, income, education and dwellings.
Welcome to this new section of the Supporting Social Research Blog! Every month we will highlight a reference work that we feel contributes both to social research and to learning and teaching in the University. If we feel really enthusiastic about a book or electronic publication we may extend to "reference works" of the month! Our first reference work has answered a number of questions in the past few weeks and will probably answer many more.
SIPRI Yearbook: Armaments, Disarmaments and International Security
This Yearbook is published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute The yearbook analyses developments in security and conflicts, military spending and armaments, non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament. The Library maintains an ongoing subscription to this Yearbook. The latest available yearbook is for 2007, this edition covers developments in 2006. Each chapter of the Yearbook is authored, statistical sources are clearly indicated and any problems with data identified.
Interested in International comparisons between Australia and other countries? Australia Fair: International Comparisons 2007 released by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) on the 30th of August uses current data to compare a range of social indicators with the situation in other OECD countries.
The first release of data from the 2006 census will be available for free on the ABS website at 9.30 am on Wednesday 27th June.
ABS has launched several new products including, Quickstats, MapStats and Census tables.
Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data is widely used in social research. So take a look at the new data and products on the ABS website!
The following information was provided by Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research Incorporated (ACSPRI)
The ACSPRI Winter Program 2007St Lucia Campus, University of Queensland, Brisbane
25 June - 6 July 2007
Bookings are now open for the ACSPRI Winter Program 2007 which will be held at the St Lucia Campus, University of Queensland in Brisbane, from 25 June - 6 July 2007. This Winter Program in social research and research technology comprises two separate weeks of 5-day courses, with attendees able to attend no more than one course in each week.
The deadline for receipt of all early-bird course fees (info given below) will be c.o.b. 10 May 2007 . After that date the normal (non-early-bird) course fee rate will apply.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has added more than 4,000 publications to its collection of free online publications!
The publications are mainly historical and include all ABS publications, both national and regional titles, released during 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997. Publications include Australian and State Year Books. These yearbooks are an invaluable source for locating quick comparative data on a range of key topics. The ABS web site now holds all ABS publications released from 1994 onward.