Research Paper no. 1 2004–05
Electoral rankings: Census 2001 (2003 boundaries)
Andrew Kopras
Statistics Section
12 July 2004
Information in this report was sourced from the Australian Bureau of
Statistics 2001 Census of Population and Housing—used with permission.
Contents
Introduction
Main Features
List of Tables
Population
1 Total population
2 Population density
3 Population growth, Census 1996 to Census 2001
4 Population growth, Census 1991 to Census 2001
5 Australian citizens aged 18 years and over
6 Persons who were visitors on Census night
7 Persons who changed address since 1996
8 Persons aged under 5 years
9 Persons aged between 5 and 14 years
10 Persons aged between 15 and 24 years
11 Persons aged between 25 and 64 years
12 Persons aged 65 years and over
13 Median age
14 Total dependency ratio
15 Elderly dependency ratio
Religion
16 Persons of Catholic religion
17 Persons of Christian religion
18 Persons of Islam religion
19 Persons of no religion
Ethnicity
20 Persons of Indigenous origin
21 Persons born overseas
22 Persons born overseas resident less than 5 years
23 Persons born in United Kingdom and Ireland
24 Persons born in Southern and South Eastern Europe
25 Persons born in South-East Asia
26 Persons born in non English speaking countries
27 Persons not fluent in English
28 Persons speaking a language other than English at
home
Families
29 Couple families with dependent children
30 Couple families with no children
31 One parent families with dependent children
32 Lone person households
Income
33 Families with weekly income below $500
34 Families with weekly income $1500 and above
35 Individuals with weekly income below $1000
36 Median weekly family income
Labour Force
37 Employed persons
38 Unemployed persons
39 Unemployed persons aged 15 to 19 years
40 Unemployed persons aged 45 and over
41 Labour force
42 Labour force aged 45 and over
43 Women in the labour force
44 Government employees
45 Persons employed in agriculture
46 Persons employed in manufacturing
47 Persons employed in tourism
48 Professional occupations
49 Tradespersons and labourers
50 Persons using public transport to travel to work
Education
51 Persons with tertiary education qualifications
52 Persons with trade qualifications
53 Persons with no qualifications
54 Persons attending infant, primary or secondary school
55 Persons attending non-government infants, primary
or secondary school
56 Persons attending a tertiary education institution
57 Persons whose highest level of schooling completed
was year 10 or below
58 Persons who use a computer at home
59 Persons who use the Internet at home
Dwellings
60 Occupied private dwellings
61 Rented dwellings
62 Fully-owned dwellings
63 Dwellings being purchased
64 Median monthly housing loan repayment
65 Median weekly rent
66 Dwellings with two or more motor vehicles
67 Flat, unit or apartment dwellings
68 Persons residing in non-private dwellings
Appendices
1 Characteristics for states, territories and
Australia
2 Characteristics for regions
This paper provides an analysis of socio-demographic
data from the 2001 Census of Population and Housing by Commonwealth electoral
division. It is an update to Research Paper No. 2, 200203, and reflects
changes to electoral boundaries brought about by redistributions. The
electoral boundaries used in this paper are those applicable following
the 2002 and 2003 electoral redistributions in Victoria, Queensland and
South Australia. The next federal election, due on or before 16 April
2005, will be contested on these boundaries. The Australian Electoral
Commission allocated Census collection districts to the new electoral
divisions as a by-product of the redistribution process.
Data for each characteristic is presented in two tables.
The first table lists each electoral division alphabetically and shows
the value of the characteristic. The second table ranks each electoral
division on the relative value of the characteristic (normally the characteristic
expressed as per cent of total). The political party currently holding
each division is also shown in each table. In the case of redistributed
divisions, this is the party notionally holding the division.
The Main Features section of the paper shows how each
characteristic is defined, including the definition of the relative value
of the characteristic and contains a brief overview of the interesting
points of each table. It also shows the Australian average of the characteristic
in the table.
For comparison purposes, the value and relative value
of each characteristic for Australia and each state and territory and
for each electoral region are shown in the Appendices.
This section provides a summary of some of the more interesting
features of each table.
Table 1Total
population
Population in electoral division on Census night, 7 August
2001.
The division with the lowest total population is the
Tasmanian rural division of Lyons (87 584), followed by the other
four Tasmanian divisions. Tasmania retains five divisions due to the Constitutional
provision guaranteeing a minimum of five seats in the House of Representatives
to each Original State. The division with the highest total population
is the inner-city division of Sydney (176 612). Divisions with a
high proportion of their population not on the electoral roll (young people,
overseas born, etc.) feature at the higher end of the rankings for this
characteristic. The two divisions closest to the median population are
outer-Sydney division of Hughes (124 587) and the Queensland rural
division of Wide Bay (124 666).
Table 2Population
density
Population of electoral division per square kilometre.
This table shows the greatest difference of all tables
between lowest and highest ranked divisions. At one end of the scale are
the rural divisions of Kalgoorlie (WA) and Lingiari (NT) with 0.1 persons
per square kilometre. On the opposite end are the inner-Sydney divisions
of Grayndler and Wentworth with over 4500 persons per square kilometre.
All 20 divisions with the highest population density are located in either
Sydney or Melbourne. The Australian average is 2.5 persons per square
kilometre.
Table 3Population
growth, Census 1996 to Census 2001
Percentage change in the total population of each electoral
division (on the same electoral boundaries) since the 1996 Census.
Nineteen electoral divisions experienced a population
decline since the 1996 Census, while the top seven divisions had a growth
rate of over 20 per cent. The division with the greatest population decline
was the Tasmanian rural division of Braddon (-3.1 per cent), while the
division with the highest population growth was the newly-created outer-suburban
Melbourne division of Gorton (27.2 per cent).
Table 4Population
growth, Census 1991 to Census 2001
Percentage change in the total population of each electoral
division (on the same electoral boundaries) since the 1991 Census.
Fourteen electoral divisions experienced a population
decline since the 1991 Census, while the top eight divisions had a growth
rate of over 50 per cent. The division with the greatest population decline
was the NSW rural division of Gwydir (-5.1 per cent), while the division
with the highest population growth was the Queensland Gold Coast division
of Fadden (69.0 per cent).
Table 5Australian
citizens aged 18 years and over
Ranked on Australian citizens 18 years and over as a
percentage of total population.
Divisions with high concentrations of children and recently
arrived migrants were ranked lowest in this characteristic. The division
with the lowest proportion is the inner-city division of Sydney (53.3
per cent), while the highest is the inner-Adelaide division of Hindmarsh
(73.3 per cent). The Australian average is 64.9 per cent.
Table 6Persons
who were visitors on Census night
Persons who were counted away from their normal home
or were an overseas visitor on Census night. Ranked on visitors as a percentage
of total population.
As to be expected, divisions with a significant tourism
industry rated highly for this characteristic. Of the 20 divisions with
the highest proportion of persons who were visitors on Census night, 11
are in Queensland. The division with the lowest proportion is the newly-created
outer-suburban Melbourne division of Gorton (1.9 per cent), while the
highest is the Western Australian rural division of Kalgoorlie (22.2 per
cent). The Australian average is 5.5 per cent.
Table 7Persons
who changed address since 1996
Persons who were residing at a different address in 1996.
Ranked on the percentage of persons who changed address since 1996 to
total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 22 divisions with the lowest proportion of persons
who changed address since 1996, 15 are held by the ALP. The divisions
with the lowest proportion are mostly in Victoria and NSW while the divisions
with the highest proportion are mainly in Queensland and Western Australia.
In six divisions more than 50 per cent of the population have changed
address since 1996. The division with the lowest proportion is the inner-suburban
Melbourne division of Maribyrnong (30.1 per cent), while the highest is
the Queensland Gold Coast division of Fadden (53.6 per cent). The Australian
average is 39.9 per cent.
Table 8Persons
aged under 5 Years
Ranked on persons aged under 5 years as a percentage
of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of persons
aged under five, 13 are held by the Coalition. Of the 20 divisions with
the highest proportion of persons aged under five, 13 are outer-suburban
divisions. The division with the lowest proportion is the inner-city division
of Sydney (3.8 per cent), while the equal highest are the outer-western
suburban Sydney division of Chifley and the outer Melbourne division Holt
(8.9 per cent). The Australian average is 6.6 per cent.
Table 9Persons
aged between 5 and 14 years
Ranked on persons aged between 5 and 14 years as a percentage
of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Outer-suburban divisions feature prominently with high
proportions of this 5-14 year olds. The division with the lowest proportion
is the inner-city division of Sydney (6.0 per cent), while the highest
is the outer-western suburban Sydney division of Chifley (18.0 per cent).
The Australian average is 14.2 per cent.
Table 10Persons
aged between 15 and 24 years
Ranked on persons aged between 15 and 24 years as a percentage
of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Most divisions held by the National Party are clustered
at the lower end of the rankings for this characteristic, possibly reflecting
limited employment and educational prospects for school leavers in rural
divisions. Divisions with higher proportions of persons aged between 15
and 24 tend to include the locations of tertiary educational institutions.
The division with the highest proportion is the Brisbane western suburbs
division of Ryan (21.0 per cent), while the lowest is the NSW north coast
division of Richmond (10.2 per cent). The Australian average is 13.7 per
cent.
Table 11Persons
aged between 25 and 64 years
Ranked on persons aged between 25 and 64 years as a percentage
of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of persons
aged between 25 and 64, 13 are held by the Coalition. The division with
the lowest proportion is the Toowoomba dominated division of Groom (48.8
per cent), while the highest is the inner-city division of Sydney (64.7
per cent). The Australian average is 52.8 per cent.
Table 12Persons
aged 65 years and over
Ranked on persons aged 65 years and over as a percentage
of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 15 highest-ranked divisions on the basis of proportion
of persons aged 65 and over, 13 are held by the Coalition. Divisions containing
popular retirement areas (coastal areas of NSW and Queensland) figure
prominently at the higher end of the rankings for this characteristic.
The division with the highest proportion is the inner-Adelaide division
of Hindmarsh (20.3 per cent), while the lowest is the Northern Territory
rural division of Lingiari (5.1 per cent). The Australian average is 12.6
per cent.
Table 13Median
age
Age at which there are an equal number of people older
and younger.
Of the 30 divisions with highest median age, 28 are held
by the Coalition. Not surprisingly, divisions containing popular retirement
areas feature at the higher end of the rankings, while outer-suburban
divisions feature at the lower end of the rankings. The divisions with
equal lowest median age (30 years) are Chifley (NSW), Holt (Vic), Lindsay
(NSW), Lingiari (NT), Macarthur (NSW), Rankin (Qld) and Werriwa (NSW),
while the divisions with equal highest median age (41 years) are Cowper
(NSW), Fisher (Qld), Lyne (NSW) and Richmond (NSW). The Australian median
is 35 years.
Table 14Total
dependency ratio
Ratio of persons of working age (15 to 64 years) to the
remainder of the population (persons aged under 15 or 65 and over). For
example, a ratio of 1.96 means that there are almost 2 persons of working
age to every person aged under 15 or 65 and over.
Of the 25 lowest-ranked divisions on the basis of the
total dependency ratio, only three are held by the ALP. Rural-based divisions
feature prominently at the low end of the ranking. The division with the
lowest total dependency ratio is the rural NSW division of Lyne (ratio
of 1.44), while the highest is the inner-city division of Sydney (ratio
of 4.16). The Australian ratio is 1.99.
Table 15Elderly
dependency ratio
Ratio of persons of working age (15 to 64 years) to persons
aged 65 and over. For example, a ratio of 5.11 means that there are just
over 5 persons of working age to every person aged 65 and over.
Of the 25 lowest-ranked divisions on the basis of the
elderly dependency ratio, only four are held by the ALP. As with total
dependency ratio, rural-based divisions feature prominently at the low
end of the ranking. The division with the lowest elderly dependency ratio
is the rural NSW division of Lyne (ratio of 2.99), while the the highest
is the Northern Territory rural division of Lingiari (ratio of 13.64).
The Australian ratio is 5.27.
Table 16Persons
of Catholic religion
Ranked on persons of Catholic religion as a percentage
of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 20 highest-ranked divisions on the basis of proportion
of persons of Catholic religion, 15 are held by the ALP. The division
with the lowest proportion of persons of Catholic religion is the South
Australian rural division of Mayo (12.8 per cent), while the highest is
the inner-suburban Melbourne division of Maribyrnong (46.1 per cent).
The Australian average is 26.6 per cent.
Table 17Persons
of Christian religion
Persons of Christian religion include: Anglican; Baptist;
Brethren; Catholic; Churches of Christ; Jehovahs Witnesses; Latter Day
Saints; Lutheran; Oriental Christian; Orthodox; Pentecostal; Presbyterian
and Reformed; Salvation Army; Seventh-day Adventist; Uniting Church, Other
Protestant and Other Christian. Ranked on persons of Christian religion
as a percentage of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Most divisions held by the National Party feature at
the higher end of the rankings (including four of the six highest) for
this characteristic. The division with the highest proportion is the southern
NSW rural division of Riverina (83.3 per cent), while the lowest is the
inner-city division of Melbourne Ports (44.7 per cent). The Australian
average is 68.0 per cent.
Table 18Persons
of Islam religion
Ranked on persons of Islam religion as a percentage of
total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 30 highest-ranked divisions on the basis of proportion
of persons of Islam religion, 27 are held by the ALP. Divisions with a
high proportion of overseas-born persons feature prominently at the higher
end of the rankings for this characteristic. A number of non-metropolitan
divisions share the lowest proportion of persons of Islam religion (0.1
per cent), while the highest is the outer-suburban Sydney division of
Reid (17.1 per cent). The Australian average is 1.5 per cent.
Table 19Persons
of no religion
Ranked on persons who stipulated on the census form that
they had no religion as a percentage of total population (excluding overseas
visitors).
Of the 40 lowest-ranked divisions on the basis of proportion
of persons of no religion, 33 are located in NSW. The division with the
lowest proportion is the inner-Sydney division of Blaxland (5.7 per cent),
while the highest is the outer-suburban Adelaide division of Kingston
(25.8 per cent). The Australian average is 15.5 per cent.
Table 20Persons
of Indigenous origin
Persons who identified themselves as Aboriginal, Torres
Strait Islander or both Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander on the census
form. Ranked on persons of Indigenous origin as a percentage of total
population.
Of the 20 divisions with the highest proportion of persons
of Indigenous origin, only five are held by the ALP. Four divisions (Lingiari,
Kalgoorlie, Leichhardt and Gwydir) have an Indigenous origin population
proportion of over 10 per cent. Of the 25 divisions with the highest proportion
of persons of Indigenous origin, only three are metropolitan divisions
(Oxley in Brisbane, Chifley in Sydney and Solomon in the Northern Territory).
Four divisions share the lowest rank (Bradfield (NSW), Goldstein (Vic),
Kooyong (Vic) and Menzies (Vic)) (0.1 per cent), while the highest is
the rural Northern Territory division of Lingiari (36.6 per cent). The
Australian average is 2.2 per cent.
Table 21Persons
born overseas
Ranked on all persons born overseas as a percentage of
total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 30 highest-ranked divisions on the basis of proportion
of persons born overseas, only six are held by the Coalition. Reflecting
migrant settlement patterns, the 52 highest‑ranked divisions are
located in metropolitan areas, while the 29 lowest‑ranked divisions
are located in provincial or rural areas. The division with the lowest
proportion is the central NSW rural division of Parkes (4.4 per cent),
while the highest is the outer-suburban Sydney division of Fowler (52.8
per cent). The Australian average is 21.9 per cent.
Table 22Persons
born overseas resident less than 5 years
Ranked on persons born overseas who arrived in Australia
in 1997 or later as a percentage of total population (excluding overseas
visitors).
Most divisions held by the National Party feature at
the lower end of the rankings, while the higher end of the ratings is
dominated by divisions held by theALP. The divisions with the lowest proportion
are Grey (SA), Hunter (NSW), Lyne (NSW), Lyons (Tas), Page (NSW), Parkes
(NSW) and Paterson (NSW) (0.4 per cent), while the highest is the inner-city
division of Sydney (10.2 per cent). The Australian average is 2.8 per
cent.
Table 23Persons
born in United Kingdom and Ireland
Ranked on persons born in the United Kingdom and Ireland
as a percentage of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 10 divisions with the lowest proportion of persons
born in the United Kingdom and Ireland, five are held by the National
Party. Divisions in South Australia and Western Australia feature prominently
at the higher end of the rankings for this characteristic (16 of the highest
20 divisions are located in South Australia or Western Australia). The
division with the lowest proportion of persons born in the UK and Ireland
is the inner-Sydney division of Watson (1.6 per cent), while the highest
is the outer-suburban Perth division of Moore (20.4 per cent). The Australian
average is 5.8 per cent.
Table 24Persons
born in Southern and South Eastern Europe
Southern Europe includes Andorra, Gibraltar, Holy See,
Italy, Malta, Portugal, San Marino and Spain, while South Eastern
Europe includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Slovenia,
and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Ranked on persons born in Southern
and South Eastern Europe as a percentage of total population (excluding
overseas visitors).
Of the 20 divisions with the highest proportion of persons
born in Southern and South Eastern Europe, 18 are held by the ALP. Metropolitan
divisions (especially in Sydney and Melbourne) predominate at the higher
end of the rankings while rural divisions predominate at the lower end
of the rankings for this characteristic. The division with the lowest
proportion of persons born in Southern and South Eastern Europe is the
Central Queensland division of Capricornia (0.2 per cent), while the highest
is the outer-suburban Melbourne division of Scullin (18.1 per cent). The
Australian average is 3.4 per cent.
Table 25Persons
born in South-East Asia
South-East Asia includes Brunei Darussalam, Burma (Myanmar),
Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Viet Nam. Ranked on persons born in South-East Asia as a
percentage of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Most divisions held by the National Party feature at
the lower end of the rankings while at the higher end of the rankings
only one of the top 25 divisions is held by the Coalition. As with the
other ethnic origin tables, metropolitan divisions feature at the higher
end of the rankings, while rural divisions feature at the lower end. The
division with the highest proportion of persons born in South-East Asia
is the outer-suburban Sydney division of Fowler. At 23.3 per cent, it
has more than twice the proportion of persons born in South-East Asia
than the next highest ranked division. The division with the lowest proportion
is the central NSW rural division of Parkes (0.2 per cent). The Australian
average is 2.6 per cent.
Table 26Persons
born in non-English speaking countries
Persons who were born overseas except in United Kingdom,
Ireland, Canada, United States of America, South Africa and New Zealand.
Ranked on persons born in non-English speaking countries as a percentage
of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 30 divisions with the highest proportion of persons
born in non-English speaking countries, only 3 are held by the Coalition,
while the lower end of the ratings is dominated by divisions held by the
National Party. Eight divisions, all in NSW and Victoria, have over one-third
of their population born in a non-English speaking country. The division
with the lowest proportion is the central NSW rural division of Parkes
(1.9 per cent), while the highest is the outer-suburban Sydney division
of Fowler (49.7 per cent). The Australian average is 13.3 per cent.
Table 27Persons
not fluent in English
Persons who do not speak English or do not speak it well.
Ranked on persons not fluent in English as a percentage of total population
(excluding overseas visitors).
The top 17 divisions with the highest proportion of persons
not fluent in English are all held by the ALP. Four divisions have more
than 10 per cent of their population not fluent in English. Eight divisions
share the lowest proportion of persons not fluent in English (0.1 per
cent), while the highest-ranked is the outer-suburban Sydney division
of Fowler (18.2 per cent). The Australian average is 2.3 per cent.
Table 28Persons
speaking a language other than English at home
Ranked on persons speaking a language other than English
at home as a percentage of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 20 divisions with the highest proportion of persons
speaking a language other than English at home, 19 are held by the ALP.
In five divisions (Gorton (Vic), Reid (NSW), Blaxland (NSW), Watson (NSW)
and Fowler (NSW)), more than half the population speaks a language other
than English at home. The divisions with the lowest proportion are the
Tasmanian rural division of Lyons and the Victorian rural division of
Wannon (1.4 per cent), while the outer-suburban Sydney division of Fowler
is the highest at 65.0 per cent. The Australian average is 15.2 per cent.
Table 29Couple
families with dependent children
Family types consisting of two parents with one or more
dependent offspring. Families that also have non-dependent offspring and
other related individuals present are included. Ranked on couple families
with dependent children as a percentage of total families.
As to be expected, outer-suburban divisions figure prominently
in the rankings for the higher proportion of couple families with dependent
children. The division with the lowest proportion is the inner-city division
of Sydney (20.2 per cent), while the outer Melbourne division of Holt
is the highest (49.6 per cent). The Australian average is 38.6 per cent.
Table 30Couple
families with no children
Family types consisting of a couple with no dependent
or non-dependent offspring. Families that also have other related individuals
present are included. Ranked on couple families with no children as a
percentage of total families.
Of the 30 divisions with the highest proportion of couple
families with no children, only six are held by the ALP. The division
with the lowest proportion is the western Sydney division of Chifley (22.3
per cent), while the highest is the inner-city division of Sydney (54.8
per cent). The Australian average is 35.7 per cent.
Table 31One
parent families with dependent children
Family types consisting of one parent and one or more
dependent offspring. Families that also have non-dependent offspring and
other related individuals present are included. Ranked on one parent families
with dependent children as a percentage of total families.
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of one
parent families with dependent children, 17 are held by the Coalition.
The division with the lowest proportion of one parent families with dependent
children is the north-western Sydney division of Mitchell (5.5 per cent),
while the highest is the outer-suburban Brisbane division of Rankin (16.1
per cent). The Australian average is 10.7 per cent.
Table 32Lone
person households
Households consisting of a person living alone. Ranked
on the percentage of lone person households to total households.
Inner-city divisions feature prominently at the higher
end of the rankings for this characteristic, while outer-metropolitan
divisions predominate at the lower end. The division with the lowest proportion
of lone person households is the the north-western Sydney division of
Mitchell (11.1 per cent), while the highest is the inner-city division
of Sydney (40.7 per cent). The Australian average is 24.0 per cent.
Table 33Families
with weekly income below $500
Families with weekly income at August 2001 of $500 or
less. $500 per week is about 60 per cent of average weekly earnings at
August 2001. Ranked on families with weekly income below $500 as a percentage
of total families (excluding families with income not stated).
Most divisions held by the National Party feature at
the higher end of the rankings (including the five highest), reflecting
the relatively low family incomes in rural divisions. The division with
the highest proportion is the Queensland rural division of Wide Bay (40.9
per cent), while the lowest is the north shore Sydney division of North
Sydney (8.8 per cent). The Australian average is 23.7 per cent.
Table 34Families
with weekly income $1500 and above
Families with annual income at August 2001 of $1500 or
more. $1500 per week is slightly less than twice the average weekly earnings
at August 2001. Ranked on families with weekly income above $1500 as a
percentage of total families (excluding families with income not stated).
Of the 20 divisions with the highest proportion of families
with weekly income $1500 and above, only five are held by the ALP and
two of these are the ACT divisions (Canberra and Fraser). Divisions in
Sydneys north shore and Melbournes eastern suburbs dominate the higher
end of the rankings for this characteristic. The division with the lowest
proportion is the the Queensland rural division of Wide Bay (8.5 per cent),
while the highest is the north shore Sydney division of North Sydney (62.6
per cent). The Australian average is 25.0 per cent.
Table 35Individuals
with weekly income below $1000
Individuals with weekly income at August 2001 of between
$1 and $999 (individuals with zero or negative income are excluded). Ranked
on individuals with weekly income below $1000 as a percentage of individuals
aged 15 and over with positive income (excluding individuals with income
not stated).
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of individuals
with weekly income below $1000, 14 are held by the Coalition. The division
with the lowest proportion is the north shore Sydney division of North
Sydney (62.5 per cent), while the highest is the Queensland rural division
of Wide Bay (95.3 per cent). The Australian average is 87.6 per cent.
Table 36Median
family income
Weekly family income level at which there are an equal
number of families above and below that level.
Of the 20 divisions with the highest median family income,
15 are held by the Coalition. Rural divisions figure prominently in the
rankings for low median family income while for high median family income
divisions in the north shore of Sydney and the eastern suburbs of Melbourne
are prominent. Eight divisions have a median family income of over $1500
per week. The division with the lowest median family income is the Queensland
rural division of Wide Bay ($608 per week), while the highest is the Sydney
north shore division of North Sydney ($1792 per week). The Australian
median is $937 per week.
Table 37Employed
persons
Ranked on the employment ratio which is employed persons
as a percentage of population aged 15 years and over.
Of the 20 divisions with the highest employment ratio,
only four are held by the ALP and two of these are the ACT divisions (Canberra
and Fraser). Thirty-four divisions have an employment ratio of over 60
per cent. The division with the lowest employment ratio is the outer-suburban
Sydney division of Fowler (42.3 per cent), while the highest is the outer-southern
Sydney division of Hughes (69.4 per cent). The Australian average is 55.9
per cent.
Table 38Unemployed
persons
Ranked on the unemployment rate which is unemployed persons
as a percentage of the labour force.
Of the 20 divisions ranked lowest on the basis of the
unemployment rate, 18 are held by the Coalition. Eight divisions have
an unemployment rate of under 4 per cent while six divisions have an unemployment
rate of over 12 per cent. The division with the lowest unemployment rate
is north shore Sydney division of Mackellar (3.2 per cent), while the
highest is the outer-suburban Sydney division of Fowler (15.1 per cent).
The Australian average is 7.4 per cent.
Table 39Unemployed
persons aged 15 to 19
Ranked on the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 to
19 which is unemployed persons aged 15 to 19 years as a percentage of
the labour force aged 15 to 19 years.
Of the 20 divisions ranked lowest on this basis, only
three are held by the ALP. Six divisions (all Sydney suburban based) have
an unemployment rate for persons aged 15 to 19 of under 10 per cent. The
division with the lowest unemployment rate for persons aged 15 to 19 is
the north shore Sydney division of Mackellar (7.5 per cent), while the
highest is the NSW provincial division of Newcastle (25.0 per cent). The
Australian average is 16.7 per cent.
Table 40Unemployed
persons aged 45 and over
Ranked on the unemployment rate for persons aged 45 and
over which is unemployed persons aged 45 and over as a percentage of the
labour force aged 45 and over.
Of the 40 divisions ranked lowest on this basis, only
four are held by the ALP and two of these are the ACT divisions (Canberra
and Fraser). The divisions with the lowest unemployment rate for persons
aged 45 and over are the Sydney outer suburban divisions of Mackellar
and Mitchell (2.3 per cent), while the highest is the Sydney outer suburban
division of Fowler (13.2 per cent). The Australian average is 5.1 per
cent.
Table 41Labour
force
Includes employed and unemployed persons. Ranked on the
labour force participation rate which is persons in the labour force as
a percentage of the population aged 15 years and over.
Of the 20 divisions with the highest labour force participation
rate, 15 are held by the Coalition. Five divisions (Lyne, Cowper and Richmond
on the NSW north coast, outer-suburban Sydney division of Fowler and the
Queensland rural division of Wide Bay) have a labour force participation
rate under 50 per cent, while four divisions (Canberra, Dickson, Mitchell
and Hughes) have a rate over 70 per cent. The division with the lowest
labour force participation rate is the NSW north coast division of Lyne
(48.4 per cent), while the highest is the outer-southern Sydney division
of Hughes (71.9 per cent). The Australian average is 60.3 per cent.
Table 42Labour
force aged 45 and over
Includes employed and unemployed persons aged 45 and
over. Ranked on the labour force participation rate for persons aged 45
and over which is persons in the labour force aged 45 and over as a percentage
of the population aged 45 years and over.
Of the 50 divisions with the highest labour force participation
rate for persons aged 45 and over, 39 are held by the Coalition. The division
with the lowest labour force participation rate for persons aged 45 and
over is the inner Melbourne division of Wills (31.5 per cent), while the
highest is the outer Sydney division of Mitchell (61.3 per cent). The
Australian average is 44.7 per cent.
Table 43Women
in the labour force
Ranked on women in the labour force as a percentage of
total labour force.
Rural divisions feature at the lower end of the rankings
for this characteristic, reflecting more limited employment opportunities
for women in rural areas. The division with the lowest proportion of women
in the labour force is the Western Australia rural division of Kalgoorlie
(38.0 per cent), while the highest is the inner-city Sydney division of
Wentworth (48.4 per cent). The Australian average is 44.9 per cent.
Table 44Government
employees
Employees of the Commonwealth, state and local governments.
Ranked on government employees as a percentage of total employment.
The divisions with the highest proportion of government
employees are the ACT divisions of Canberra (39.1 per cent) and Fraser
(42.6 per cent) followed by the Northern Territory division of Solomon
(32.1 per cent). The division with the lowest proportion of government
employees is the outer Melbourne division of Holt (8.6 per cent). The
Australian average is 16.2 per cent.
Table 45Persons
employed in agriculture
Ranked on persons employed in agriculture, forestry and
fishing as a percentage of total employment.
Thirteen divisions with the highest proportion of persons
employed in agriculture are held either by the Coalition (five of these
by the National Party) or by an Independent. As to be expected, rural
divisions dominate the higher end of the rankings while metropolitan divisions
dominate the lower end. Reflecting the high degree of urbanisation of
Australia, 76 (just over half) divisions have less than 1 per cent of
persons employed in agriculture. Ten divisions (nine in NSW and one in
Victoria) share the lowest proportion ranking of this characteristic (0.2
per cent), while the highest ranked is the WA rural division of OConnor
(26.7 per cent). The Australian average is 4.0 per cent.
Table 46Persons
employed in manufacturing
Ranked on persons employed in manufacturing as a percentage
of total employment.
The top 18 highest-ranked divisions for the proportion
of persons employed in manufacturing are all held by the ALP. Ten divisions
have more than 20 per cent of persons employed in manufacturing. The division
with the lowest proportion is the north Canberra division of Fraser (3.1
per cent), while the highest is outer Melbourne division of Holt (25.3
per cent). The Australian average is 12.2 per cent.
Table 47Persons
employed in tourism
Persons employed in the accommodation, cafes and restaurants
industry. Ranked on persons employed in tourism as a percentage of total
employment.
Inner‑city and coastal divisions feature at the
higher end of the rankings for this characteristic while outer-suburban
divisions feature at the lower end. The division with the lowest proportion
is the outer Melbourne division of Holt (2.7 per cent), while the highest
is the Queensland Gold Goast division of Moncrieff (11.5 per cent). The
Australian average is 4.9 per cent.
Table 48Professional
occupations
Includes managers, administrators and professionals.
Ranked on persons with professional occupations as a percentage of total
employment.
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of persons
with professional occupations, only one is held by the Coalition, while
only seven of the 20 divisions with the highest proportion are held by
the ALP. The division with the lowest proportion is the western Sydney
division of Chifley (13.0 per cent), while the highest is the north shore
Sydney division of North Sydney (51.5 per cent). The Australian average
is 27.5 per cent.
Table 49Tradespersons
and labourers
Includes tradespersons, labourers and related workers.
Ranked on tradespersons and labourers as a percentage of total employment.
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of tradespersons
and labourers, only seven are held by the ALP. Two divisions (Barker in
SA and Fowler in NSW) have more than 30 per cent of persons employed as
a tradesperson or labourer. The division with the lowest proportion is
the north shore Sydney division of North Sydney (6.3 per cent), while
the highest is the outer-suburban Sydney division of Fowler (31.3 per
cent). The Australian average is 20.9 per cent.
Table 50Persons
using public transport to travel to work
Persons who have used public transport as one of the
modes of travelling to work. (Note that a person may have used more than
one mode of transport.) Ranked on persons using public transport to travel
to work as a percentage of total employed persons.
Most divisions held by the National Party feature at
the lower end of the rankings. As to be expected, rural divisions are
concentrated at the lower end of the rankings and inner-city divisions
at the higher end of the rankings for this characteristic. Reflecting
Australias reliance on the private motor vehicle, only five divisions
(all in Sydney) have a proportion of more than 25 per cent. The division
with the lowest proportion is the western Victorian rural division of
Wannon (0.4 per cent), while the highest is the inner-Sydney division
of Grayndler (33.8 per cent). The Australian average is 8.9 per cent.
Table 51Persons
with tertiary education qualifications
Persons whose highest education qualification obtained
is a degree or higher, or a diploma. Ranked on persons with tertiary education
qualifications as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and over.
Divisions at the lower end of the rankings tend to be
rural or outer-metropolitan while at the higher end Sydney north shore
and Melbourne eastern suburban divisions feature. The division with the
lowest proportion of persons with tertiary education qualifications is
the outer-suburban Adelaide division of Wakefield (8.1 per cent), while
the highest is the inner-city division of North Sydney (44.5 per cent).
The Australian average is 18.9 per cent.
Table 52Persons
with trade qualifications
Persons whose highest education qualification obtained
is certificate level. Ranked on persons with trade qualifications as a
percentage of the population aged 15 years and over.
Of the 25 divisions with the highest proportion of persons
with trade qualifications, 19 are held by the Coalition. The division
with the lowest proportion is the inner-city division of Melbourne (7.6
per cent), while the highest is the outer-southern Sydney division of
Hughes (22.1 per cent). The Australian average is 15.8 per cent.
Table 53Persons
with no qualifications
Persons aged 15 years and over who did not complete any
non-school qualifications. Ranked on persons with no qualifications as
a percentage of the population aged 15 years and over.
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of persons
with no qualifications, only six are held by the ALP. The division with
the lowest proportion of persons with no qualifications is the inner-city
division of North Sydney (33.3 per cent), while the highest is the outer-suburban
Adelaide division of Wakefield (67.0 per cent). The Australian average
is 53.8 per cent.
Table 54Persons
attending infant, primary or secondary school
Ranked on persons attending infant, primary or secondary
school as a percentage of total population.
The proportion of persons attending infant, primary or
secondary school in the highest‑ranked division (the outer-suburban
Melbourne division of McEwen, 20.7 per cent) is over four times that of
the lowest‑ranked division (the inner-city division of Sydney, 4.9
per cent). Outer-suburban divisions figure prominently at the higher end
of the rankings for this characteristic, while inner-city divisions dominate
the lower end of the rankings. The Australian average is 16.2 per cent.
Table 55Persons
attending non-government infant, primary or secondary school
Persons attending Catholic and other non-government infant,
primary or secondary schools. Ranked on persons attending non-government
infant, primary or secondary schools as a percentage of total persons
attending these schools.
The proportion of persons attending non-government schools
in the highest‑ranked division (the inner-city Sydney division of
Wentworth, 70.7 per cent) is over four times that of the lowest‑ranked
division (the Queensland rural division of Wide Bay, 16.7 per cent). There
are 10 divisions (all inner-metropolitan) with more than 50 per cent of
persons attending non-government schools. The Australian average is 32.2
per cent.
Table 56Persons
attending a tertiary education institution
Persons attending a TAFE college, CAE or university.
Ranked on persons attending a tertiary education institution as a percentage
of total population.
Of the 30 divisions with the lowest proportion of persons
attending a tertiary education institution, only four are held by ALP.
Most Divisions held by the National Party feature at the lower end of
the ranking, reflecting the lack of tertiary education institutions in
rural areas. At the higher end of the rankings, divisions containing tertiary
education institutions are prominent. The division with the lowest proportion
is the north Queensland rural division of Kennedy (2.7 per cent), while
the highest is the inner-city division of Melbourne (17.0 per cent). The
Australian average is 6.5 per cent.
Table 57Persons
whose highest level of schooling completed was Year 10 or below
Ranked on persons whose highest level of schooling completed
was year 10 or below as a percentage of the population aged 15 and over.
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of persons
whose highest level of schooling completed was year 10 or below, nine
are held by the ALP and two of these are the ACT divisions (Canberra and
Fraser). There are six divisions with the proportion of over 60 per cent.
The division with the lowest proportion is the inner-eastern suburban
Melbourne division of Higgins (16.0 per cent), while the highest is the
Tasmanian division of Braddon (62.9 per cent). The Australian average
is 40.6 per cent.
Table 58Persons
who use a computer at home
Ranked on persons who use a computer at home as a percentage
of total population (excluding overseas visitors).
Of the 20 divisions with the highest proportion of persons
who use a computer at home, only two are held by the ALP and these are
the ACT divisions of Canberra and Fraser. The division with the lowest
proportion of persons who use a computer at home is the Northern Territory
division of Lingiari (24.1 per cent), while the highest is the Brisbane
western suburbs division of Ryan (63.2 per cent). The Australian average
is 42.0 per cent.
Table 59Persons
who use the Internet at home
Persons who use the Internet at home, whether or not
also using it at their work or elsewhere. Ranked on persons who use the
Internet at home as a percentage of total population (excluding overseas
visitors).
Of the 20 divisions with the highest proportion of persons
who use the Internet at home, only two are held by the ALP and these are
the ACT divisions of Canberra and Fraser. Rural divisions figure prominently
at the lower end of the rankings for this characteristic, reflecting the
difficulty of obtaining Internet services in those areas. The division
with the lowest proportion of persons who use the Internet at home is
the Northern Territory division of Lingiari (15.5 per cent), while the
highest is the north shore Sydney division of Bradfield (49.3 per cent).
The Australian average is 27.7 per cent.
Table 60Occupied
private dwellings
Occupied private dwellings are also known as households.
Ranked by the number of occupied private dwellings.
Inner-metropolitan divisions feature at the higher end
of the rankings reflecting a high number of lone person households in
those areas. The highest‑ranked division, the inner‑city division
of Sydney with 74 229 occupied private dwellings, has more than twice
the number of the lowest‑ranked Northern Territory rural division
of Lingiari (32 593 dwellings).
Table 61Rented
dwellings
Dwellings whose tenure type is rented (from all sources).
Ranked on rented dwellings as a percentage of total occupied private dwellings.
Of the 20 divisions with the lowest proportion of rented
dwellings, only six are held by the ALP. The division with the lowest
proportion is the outer-eastern suburban Melbourne division of Aston (11.5
per cent), while the highest is the inner-city division Sydney (51.0 per
cent). The Australian average is 26.3 per cent.
Table 62Fully-owned
dwellings
Dwellings whose tenure type is fully‑owned. Ranked
on the number of fully‑owned dwellings as a percentage of total
occupied private dwellings.
Of the 23 divisions with the lowest proportion of fully‑owned
dwellings, only seven are held by the Coalition. Rural divisions and older
established Metropolitan divisions feature at the higher end of the rankings.
Four divisions have a fully‑owned dwelling proportion over 50 per
cent. The division with the lowest proportion of fully‑owned dwellings
is the inner-city division Sydney (17.6 per cent), while the highest is
the outer-eastern suburban Melbourne division of Menzies (56.7 per cent).
The Australian average is 39.7 per cent.
Table 63Dwellings
being purchased
Dwellings whose tenure type is being purchased or being
purchased under a rent/buy scheme. Ranked on the number of dwellings
being purchased as a percentage of total occupied private dwellings.
Outer-metropolitan divisions dominate the higher end
of the rankings for this characteristic while inner-metropolitan and rural
divisions dominate the lower end of the rankings. The division with the
lowest proportion is the inner-city Sydney division of Wentworth (12.8
per cent), while the highest is the outer Melbourne division of Holt (48.4
per cent). The Australian average is 26.5 per cent.
Table 64Median
monthly housing loan repayment
Monthly housing loan repayment level at which there are
an equal number of dwellings being purchased above and below that level.
Of the 20 divisions ranked highest on the basis of median
monthly housing loan repayment only seven are held by the ALP. Reflecting
the Sydney property market, only four of the 20 divisions ranked highest
are located outside Sydney. The median monthly housing loan repayment
for the highest ranked division ($1965 in the north shore Sydney division
of Bradfield) is almost four times that of the lowest division ($538 in
the rural SA division of Grey). The Australian median is $870.
Table 65Median
weekly rent
Weekly rent level at which there are an equal number
of rented dwellings above and below that level.
Of the 20 divisions with the highest median weekly rent,
only six are held by the ALP. Similar to the loan repayments rankings,
Sydney divisions dominate the higher end of the rankings for rent payments.
The division with the lowest median weekly rent is the NT rural division
of Lingiari ($82), while the highest is the Sydney north shore division
of Bradfield ($374). The Australian median is $154.
Table 66Dwellings
with two or more motor vehicles
Dwellings where two or more registered motor vehicles
owned or used by the occupants of the dwelling were garaged or parked
near the dwelling. Ranked on the number of dwellings with two or more
motor vehicles as a percentage of total occupied private dwellings.
Of the 15 divisions with the lowest proportion of dwellings
with two or more motor vehicles, only two are held by the Coalition, while
at the higher end of the rankings only four of the top 17 divisions are
held by the ALP. Inner-metropolitan divisions feature at the lower end
of the rankings while outer-metropolitan and rural divisions dominate
the higher end. The division with the lowest proportion is the inner-city
division of Sydney (13.6 per cent), while the highest is the north-western
Sydney division of Mitchell (69.1 per cent). The Australian average is
45.5 per cent.
Table 67Flat,
unit or apartment dwellings
Flat, unit or apartment dwellings ranked on the percentage
of total private dwellings.
Inner-city divisions dominate the higher end of the rankings
for this characteristic while five out of six lowest‑ranked divisions
are in outer-suburban Perth. Four divisions (Sydney, Wentworth, Melbourne
Ports and North Sydney) have a proportion of over 50 per cent. The division
with the lowest proportion is the outer-suburban Perth division of Pearce
(1.0 per cent), while the highest is the inner-city division of Sydney
(62.8 per cent). The Australian average is 13.1 per cent.
Table 68Persons
residing in non-private dwellings
Non-private dwellings include hotels, motels, nurses
and other staff quarters, boarding houses, boarding schools, residential
colleges, nursing homes, prisons, religious and charitable institutions,
hospitals and other communal dwellings (but not self-care units in accommodation
for the retired or aged). Ranked on the persons residing in non-private
dwellings as percentage of total persons.
Outer-metropolitan divisions dominate the lower end of
the rankings for this characteristic while at the higher end of the rankings,
inner‑city and divisions with mining and tourism industries predominate.
Six divisions have a proportion of over 10 per cent. The division with
the lowest proportion is the outer Melbourne division of Holt (0.2 per
cent), while the highest is the inner-city division of Sydney (15.5 per
cent). The Australian average is 3.2 per cent.
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