Australia 2020 Summit
Strengthening Communities, Supporting Families And
Social Inclusion
April 2008
These background materials aim to tell an evidence-based story about how Australia is
faring. They are not intended to be definitive or comprehensive, but were put together to
stimulate discussion on the main challenges and opportunities facing the country and
the choices to be made in addressing them. They do not represent government policy.
The materials end with a set of questions. We hope that these, along with many other
questions, will be the subject of conversation both prior to and during the Summit.
Australia's population is ageing - by 2036, it is predicted that one
quarter of Australians will be over 65
Australian population by age bracket: 1976-2036
Population (m)
% population by age bracket
30
25
65+
20
1976
2006
2036
<25
44
33
27
25-44
27
29
25
45-64
20
25
25
65+
9
13
24
45-64
15
25-44
10
5
<25
0
1976
2006
2036
For more on Australia's demographic transformation, see
Population, Sustainability... (p14-17)
Source: ABS 3222.0, Population Projections, Australia, 2004-2101 (2006); ABS 3201.0, Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories (2006)
2
We have a high migrant population, and a wealth of cultures
Migration
Language
Language spoken at home1: 2006
2 3%
Australia
New Zealand
2 0%
18%
Canada
12%
Sweden
United States
11%
10 %
Netherlands
6%
Denmark
3%
Finland
0
5
10
15
20
English only
Chinese languages
Italian
Greek
Arabic (incl. Lebanese)
Vietnamese
Spanish
Tagalog (incl. Filipino)
German
Hindi
Macedonian
Croatian
Australian Indigenous languages
25
0
Immigrant population in selected OECD countries: 2001 (%)
200,000
400,000
15,600,000
Persons (#)
Permanent settler arrivals - top 10 countries of birth: 1985/6, 2005/6
(Ranked country of emigration; % total migrant population)
Country
United Kingdom
New Zealand
India
China
Philippines
South Africa
Sudan
Malaysia
Singapore
Vietnam
Other
Total permanent arrivals
1985-6 rank 1985-6 (%)
1
15.9
2
14.3
10
2.3
5
3.4
4
4.5
6
3.4
75
0.1
9
2.5
26
0.9
3
7.7
45.0
92,000
2005-6 rank 2005-6 (%)
1
17.7
2
14.5
3
8.6
4
8.0
5
3.7
6
3.0
7
2.9
8
2.3
9
2.0
10
2.0
35.3
131,000
Religion
•
Christianity is the most common religious belief (around 12.7m people)
•
Buddhism is the second most common (around 420,000 followers – this has
grown from 200,000 in 1996)
•
Islam has around 340,000 followers, up from 200,000 in 1996
•
Hinduism has around 150,000 followers, more than double the 1996 figure
•
The Jewish community comprises around 89,000 people
•
~240,000 citizens cite religions and religious affiliations outside the above
1. Others with <50,000 respondents (2006): French, Indonesian, Persian (includes Dari), Maltese, Russian, Dutch, Japanese, Tamil, Sinhalese, Samoan, Portuguese, Khmer, Thai, Assyrian,
Hungarian, Korean, Turkish, Polish and Serbian
Source: ABS 2068.0, Census Data 2006; ABS 1301.0, Year Book Australia 2008 (2008)
3
High cultural diversity is a phenomenon of inner urban communities, where
between 5 and 35% of people arrived in Australia less than 5 years ago
Sydney
Melbourne
"New arrivals": Persons arriving on or after 1 January 2001
(% total usual residents)
"New arrivals": Persons arriving on or after 1 January 2001
(% total usual residents)
Legend (% usual residents)
16.7 to 35.1
6.8 to 16.7
4.4 to 6.8
2.7 to 4.4
0.2 to 2.7
Source: ABS, Data source: Census MapStats 2006 [Data available on request]
4
For most people, family remains the anchor-point of support
networks and social engagement
Family is the most common
form of support for people in crisis...
Proportion of people who feel they would have support from each
of the following groups during times of crisis
...and also the greatest
beneficiary of our generosity and care
Proportion of people who offer support or unpaid
assistance to relatives outside the home
Type of support/unpaid assistance
Family
80%
15%
Driving them places
Paying bills
Friend
67%
33%
Neighbour
93.3% of people
feel they have
someone to turn
to outside their
home
22%
Workmate
Community, charity or
religious organisation
13%
7%
6%
Lending car
Money for housing
5%
Spending money
5%
Food
5%
Clothing
28.1% of
people offer ad
hoc support to
relatives
outside the
home...
3%
Money for big items
3%
2%
Education/textbooks
Emotional support
Health, legal or
financial professional
9%
24%
21%
Transport/errands
Domestic work
Local council or other
government service
5%
13%
Child care
8%
Teaching/advice
1%
Other
17%
Other
0
20
40
60
80
(% population over 18)
...and 30.6% of
people provide
unpaid
assistance to
them
6%
0
5
10
15
20
25
(% population over 18)
Source: ABS 4159.0, General Social Survey, 2006 (2007)
5
Increasingly, families come in a wide range of forms
Australia has more single
parent and childless households
More people are remaining unmarried
or living in de facto relationships
% people by marital status – Australia: 1996-2006
% households by family type – Australia: 1996-2006
100
100
80
39.9%
40.7%
40.8%
1.8%
1.8%
1.7%
13.9%
15.4%
15.8%
80
34.1%
60
6.0%
35.7%
37.2%
No family structure is "typical"
Only 40% of families are "traditional" nuclear
families, with 2 parents and their shared
biological children only
It is estimated that 28% of marriages entered
into in 1985-7 will end in divorce; and 33% of
marriages from 2000-2. Half of all divorces
involve one or more children under 18
60
7.3%
8.8%
5% of families with children are "step"
families2 and a further 3% of families with
children are "blended"3
40
40
54.1%
51.9%
50.4%
50.2%
47.0%
45.3%
1996
2001
2006
20
20
In 2001, 0.5% of all couple families reported
being same-sex couples. Of these families,
11.2% had one or more children
0
0
1996
Unmarried
De facto
Married
2001
2006
Other household
Single parent family
Couple family with no children
Couple family with children1
1. Includes all couple combinations (de facto and married), with one or more children of either parent 2. Families in which there are biological children of one or other parent and another partner
rather than both. 3. Families which contain a mix of the biological children of resident parents, and one or more children from another union
Source: ABS 2068.0, Census Data 2001 and 2006
6
Women are increasingly highly educated, are having fewer children
(and later), and are participating more fully in the workforce
Women are attaining
tertiary qualification faster than men
Women are bearing fewer
children, and having them later in life
More women are working, especially
dominant in part-time employment
Highest level of
qualification - Australia: 1996-2006
Crude birth rate and median
age of mothers at birth: 1976-2006
Australian Labour force profile: 1978-2008
Median age at birth
(yrs)
% Population over 15
60
Fertility rate
(births per woman)
35
Women
3.5
% Population over 15
80
Men
Women
Men
30.8yrs
30
50
3.0
25.8yrs
40
60
25
%
40
2.5
20
0%
11
30
2.0
2.1
40
1.8
15
1.5
10
1.0
5
0.5
20
10
0
0
1986
1996
2006 1986
Other1
Bachelor degree or higher
Diploma/Certificate
1996
2006
Today, 16.4% of women have a bachelor degree
or higher, compared with 14.7% of men
0.0
1976 1981
1986
1991
1996
2001
2006
Median age of mothers at birth (left hand axis)
Fertility rate (right hand axis)
20
0
1978 1988 1998 2008 1978 1988 1998
Unemployed and seeking FT or PT work
Employed part-time
Employed full-time
2008
For more on education and the labour force, see
Education, Skills and the Productivity Agenda
1. Other post-secondary qualification not specified or inadequately described
Source: ABS, 2068.0 Census Data 2006; ABS, 4102.0 Australian Social Trends, Data Cube (2007); ABS, 6202.0 Labour Force Jan 2008
7
The composition of our households is changing, with increasing
numbers of people living alone
Single-person
households are expected to increase...
...with a particular spike in older lone women
Projected composition of households - Australia: 1996-2026
Projected numbers of lone persons,
by sex - Australia: 1996-2026
Total households (%)
Lone persons (#, 000)
100
500
Lone persons
1996: 23%
2026: 28%
80
Groups
1996: 4.2%
2026: 3.6%
60
Families
1996: 73%
2026: 66%
40
400
Increasing divorce rates
and longer female life
expectancy are two
contributors to this trend
300
Female 2026
200
100
20
Female 2006
Male 2026
Male 2006
0
1996
0
2001
2006
2011
2016
2021
2026
15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84
85+
Age (years)
This highlights the continuing importance of
communities – our support networks outside the home
Note: Projections use Series B assumptions including moderate fertility and migration levels
Source: ABS, 3236.0 Household and Family Projections, Australia, 2001-2026 (2006); ABS, 2068.0 Census Data 1996
8
One in five Australians have some kind of disability
Much of disability is
addressed using aids and equipment
Most disability is mild or moderate
Percentage of Australians with core activity
limitations (2003, by severity)1
Number of people with a disability using
aids or equipment, by aid type ('000)2,3
20
2,500
2,000
15
3.0%
1,500
3.3%
10
15.1%
3.5%
1,000
5
500
5.3%
0
0
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Profound
Total
Self care
1. 4.8% of the population have non-core limitations 2. Total number of people with core-activity limitations was 3,001,900
Source: ABS, 4430.0 Disability, Ageing and Carers: Summary of findings, 2003 (2004)
Mobility
Communication
Medical
None
3. Some people use more than one aid
9
Many families are taking on informal carer responsibilities, with
both benefits and burdens
More than 250,000 Australians care for a person
with a disability, of which ~63% are also in the workforce
Population aged 15 and over reporting primary or other carer
responsibilities and workforce participation – Australia: 20031 (%)
14
Caring can be rewarding,
but brings a range of challenges
49%
Sleep interruptions
Weariness/lack of energy
12
28%
Well-being affected
10
8
33%
10.6%
Other
carers
6
48% of primary carers
and 66% of other carers
are also employed2
Depression or frequent worry
27%
Difficulty meeting living costs 3
27%
25%
Feeling of satisfaction
24%
Losing touch with friends
13%
Anger or resentment
4
10%
Stress related illness
2
2.4%
0
All carers
Primary
carers
Increased friendship circle
3%
0
10
20
30
40
50
Proportion of primary carers aged 15 and over
reporting the effects of caring – Australia: 20034 (%)
1. Refers to informal caring duties as reported to the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers 2. Includes part- and full-time employment by self or another 3. Due to decreased income or extra
expenses resulting from carer duties 4. Refers only to carers who live with the recipient of care
Source: ABS, 4430.0.55.003 Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Caring in the Community 2003 (2004)
10
Housing stress is once again emerging as a serious challenge for
families
...with fewer first homebuyers able to enter the market
Housing is an increasing burden on family budgets...
Average weekly household
expenditure on housing – Australia: 1994-2006
Weekly household
housing costs (A$)1
Australian nominal household income
versus first homebuyer qualifying income: 1994-2006
% gross household
income spent on housing
250
2005-6: 14.2%
15
Household income (A$m)
100,000
1994-5: 12.2%
200
185
168
150
129
127
131
136
140
138
75,000
10
148
50,000
100
5
25,000
50
0
0
94-5
95-6
96-7
97-8 99-00 00-1
02-3
03-4
05-6
0
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
Percentage of household income spent on housing (right axis)
Mean household income2
Weekly household housing costs (left axis)
Qualifying income3
2004
2006
2008
1. 2005/6 dollars 2. Seasonally adjusted 3. Qualifying income is defined by HIA as the income necessary to meet repayments on an average established dwelling purchased by first home buyers.
Qualifying income = monthly mortgage repayments x 40 months
Source: ABS, 4130.0.55.001 Housing Occupancy and Costs, Australia, 2005-6 (2007); HIA Economics Group
11
Many working households have low incomes, and there is an older
group of Australians who lack sufficient retirement savings
Low income appears to affect working
people as much as those not working
or subsisting on social benefits
It is estimated it would cost
~$500k to retire in Australia today,3 but at least
one quarter of pre-retirees have less than that amount
Australian households with an equivalised household
income of less than 50% of the median: 2005/6 (% households)
Australian households with sufficient retirement savings3 –
reference person aged 55-64, with >$500,000 in superannuation,
financial assets or household net worth: 2005/6 (% households)
12.4%
12.5%
54%
14%
8%
Working
households1
Non-working
households2
Over $500k
superannuation
Over $500k
financial assets3
Over $500k total
net worth4
1. All households which report a weekly income from employment or business. 2. All other households (may have government, extra-household, retirement or investment income) 3. Association of Superannuation Funds; Westpac.
Assumes life expectancy of 77.6 for men and 82.9 for women, spending $35,430 a year for singles and $47,507 for couples 4. Includes savings/transaction accounts, superannuation, all investment classes. 5. Includes all financial
and non-financial assets and liabilities – including house value and any (un)incorporated business value
Source: Gillian Bullock, How much do you need to retire? (2006) http://money.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=147791; ABS, 6541.0 Survey of Income and Housing 2005-6, Confidentialised Unit Record File
12
Australia has relatively high numbers of low income households
Australia ranks among the
most highly developed nations in the world...
...but, of these countries, bears one
of the highest rates of low income households2
Human Development Index1
- top 20 most developed nations: 2005
% of population subsisting on less than 50% of median
equivalised disposable household income – top 20 most
developed nations3: 2000-4
Iceland
Norway
Australia
Canada
Ireland
Sweden
Switzerland
Japan
Netherlands
France
Finland
United States
Spain
Denmark
Austria
United Kingdom
Belgium
New Zealand
Italy
Germany
0.00
Finland
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Netherlands
France
Switzerland
Austria
Belgium
Germany
Canada
Japan
Australia
United Kingdom
Italy
Spain
Ireland
United States
0.962
0.94
0.95
0.96
0.97
Human Development Index1
For more on income
disparity in Indigenous
populations, see The
Future of Indigenous
Australia (p4)
12.2
0
5
10
15
20
% population living on less than 50% median HDI2
1. The normalised measure of life expectancy, education, standard of living, and GDP per capita. 2. Defined as the percentage of the population living on less than 50% of the median adjusted
household disposable income 3. Luxembourg and Hong Kong not shown (incomparable geographical size)
Note: Income poverty data not available for Iceland and New Zealand
Source: UN Development Program, Human Development Report 2007/8 (2008)
13
Despite record low unemployment, many Australian children are
growing up in a household where no adult works
Australia is one of the worst performing OECD
countries for children raised in "workless" households
Percentage of working-age households with children
without an employed parent - OECD countries: 2000
Our low official unemployment rates mask a high number of nonworking Australians
Japan
Portugal
Switzerland
Austria
United States
Greece
Sweden
Canada
Finland
Italy
Belgium
Denmark
Spain
Norway
Netherlands
France
Ireland
New Zealand
Czech Republic
United Kingdom
Germany
Poland
Australia
Hungary
•
Unemployment rate in 2007 was as low as 4.36%, however
official workforce participation rate was only 62.8%
People may be "non-participants" for a range of reasons
•
•
•
•
Retirement, studentship, illness or disability
Unpaid volunteer or care work
Long-term workless people who have stopped looking
People who simply choose not to work
The problem is acutely felt by families with children
9.5%
0
5
•
The child caring burden may be a disincentive to
participating in the workforce – especially for single parents
•
2006 data indicates that 15.7% of all children under 15 live in
a household where no parent works – including 47.7% of
single parent families
10
% working age households with children without an employed parent
For more on worklessness in Indigenous households, see
The Future of Indigenous Australia (p6)
Source: UNICEF, Child Poverty in Perspective: An overview of child well-being in rich countries (2007); ABS, 6260.0 Labour Force Projections, 1999-2016 (1999); ABS, 6202.0.55.001, Labour Force,
Australia, Spreadsheets Jan 2008
14
Many children live with multiple family disadvantages
Financial stress
Disability or illness
Single parent families are far more likely to
experience multiple financial crises
Households experiencing cash-flow
crisis events in last 12 months: 2006 (%)
50
47%
40
30
20
19%
Most common cashflow problems for
families are
• Utilities bills
• Financial support
sought from family
• Car repayments
• Mortgage/rent
• Credit card
• Support sought from
welfare/ community
organisations
• Pawned or sold
possessions
• Went without meals
• Unable to heat home
11%
10
0
Couples
with
children
One event
Two events
Three or more
Single
parents
with
children
Childless
households
1.8% of children under 15 have a parent
requiring assistance with core activities. Of
these, 20% live in single parent families
Children also assist with non-primary care to
other family members
• The Survey of Disability, Ageing and
Carers reports that 2.6% of children
under 15 offer some level of non-primary
care to another person (parent or other
relative) due to age, illness or disability
Carer families are more likely than non-carer
families to
• Have low income (27% are in the bottom
income quintile)
• Rely on government pensions/
allowances (42% of carers cite this as the
primary source of income, compared
with 27% of non-carers)
• Be non-participants in the workforce
(44% of carers compared with 32% of
non-carers)
For information on educational
disadvantage, see Education, Skills and
the Productivity Agenda (p8)
Exposure to drugs or violence
Family violence levels (whilst difficult to
accurately quantify3) impact on children
• 49% of adults experiencing violence
from a current partner2 have care of a
child; 27% say that the child has
witnessed the violence2
• A 1999 study found that witnessing
parental family violence was the
strongest predictor of perpetration of
violence in young people's own intimate
relationships
Many children are also exposed to drugs
• The home is by far the most commonly
cited "usual place of use" for alcohol
and illicit drugs
• Children are at a higher risk of early
initiation to drug use if family members
are substance abusers4
Whilst the link between substance abuse and
violence is not self-evident, child protective
services report their significant co-incidence
in child-related incidents
• The NSW Department of Community
Services reported in 2003 that up to 80%
of child abuse cases were associated
with drug/alcohol misuse
1. Percentages refer to % households with dependent children experiencing the crisis in last 12 months 2. Includes both men and women experiencing violence. Figures for violence experienced at the hands of a previous
partner are 61% caring for a child, and 36% witnessing the violence 3. Due to difficulty of obtaining accurate reporting rates. 4. The literature on this topic is extensive – see ARECY report
Source: ABS, 4159.0, General Social Survey 2006 (2007); ABS, 2068.0 Census Data 2006; ABS, 4430.0 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (2004); Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra, Indermaru, D "Young
Australians and Domestic Violence", Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 195 (2001); NSW Department of Human Services, Annual Report 2002-3 (2003); AIHW, 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey:
First Results (2005); Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, The impact of drug and alcohol misuse on children and families (2007)
15
Problem gambling is an added pressure for some Australians
Problem gambling carries a range
of financial and non-financial pressures
Gambling is an increasing financial
burden on some Australians
In 1999, gambling cost ~$760 per Australian adult (or 3% of Household
Disposable Income). This is more than the 1999 per adult spend on
energy (~$600) or household appliances (~$400), and just shy of alcohol
(~$860)
Gambling expenditure per capita and proportion of
household disposable income, Australia, 1972-1998
$ per capita
1000
% HDI
4.0
800
3.0
600
The 1999 national study estimated that ~1% of adult Australians had
severe gambling problems, with a further ~1.1% considered moderately
problematic1
More recent evidence indicates that problem gambling is still an issue.
A 2006 study of gambling in NSW found that 0.8% of NSW adults have a
severe gambling problem, with a further 1.6% considered a moderate
risk
Australia has 21% of the world's poker machines – and 42.3 cents in
every dollar passing through a poker machine comes from a problem
gambler
2.0
400
1.0
200
0
1972-3 1977-8
0.0
1982-3 1987-8 1992-3 1997-8
$ per capita (adult) expenditure
% household disposable income
More recent data from 2005 suggests that this trend has flattened out
somewhat – with net takings from gambling representing an expenditure
of $966 per adult or ~3% of Equivalised Household Disposable Income 3
The Commission identified a range of common gambling-related harms
• Depression
• Loss/change of job or adversely affected work performance
• Bankruptcy
• Obtaining money illegally
• Trouble with police/the law
• Often or always spending more than can afford
• Relationship breakdown
• Lack of time to look after the family's interests
1. According to the South Oaks Gambling Screen, self-assessment questions and other indicators of harm. See Productivity Commission Chapter 6 2. Defined as participation in the last 12 months.
3. Refers to HDI for 2005-6
Source: Productivity Commission, Inquiry into Australia's Gambling Industries (1999); ABS, 8684.0 Gambling Services, Australia, 2004-5 (2006); ABS, 1301.0 Year Book Australia, 2008; NSW Office
of Liquor, Racing and Gaming, Prevalence of Gambling and Problem Gambling in NSW – A Community Survey (ACNeilsen 2007)
16
There is significant variation in the social outcomes experienced
by communities
Case study – A comparison of three Victorian communities
Education
Crime
Health
Community
% Population aged 20-24 with
year 12 or higher (2006)
Recorded offences per
100,000 people (2006-07)
% People self-reporting health
as excellent or very good (2007)
% People who can get help from family,
friends or neighbours if needed (2006)
100
2,000
80
100
1,500
60
95
1,000
40
90
500
20
85
0
0
80
Family violence
Offences against the person
80
60
40
20
0
Bayside Frankston Swan Hill
Bayside (Inner suburban)
Frankston (Outer suburban)
Swan Hill (Regional)
Bayside Frankston Swan Hill
Bayside Frankston Swan Hill
Bayside Frankston Swan Hill
These differentials are exacerbated
by variable access to social infrastructure
Source: Community Indicators Victoria www.communityindicators.net.au, citing ABS, Victoria Police, Community Indicators Victoria Survey, Department of Planning and Community Development
17
The costs of substance abuse are borne by communities as well as
individuals
Despite declines in the use of some drugs,
substance abuse remains a significant issue...
...with a range of more and less
quantifiable costs to the community
Total
external
costs
Population over 14 years old reporting
substance use: 1995-2004 (%)
25
Tangible
20
Use of illicit drugs
(last 12 months)1
2004
(% pop)
% change
(since 1994)
Cannabis
Ecstasy
11.4
3.5
-15%
300%
Methamphetamines
Cocaine
3.3
1.1
51%
11%
Inhalants
Heroin
0.5
0.2
0%
-57%
Illicit substance
5
Unpaid
Workforce
reduction
0
1995
Health
care
Production
15
10
Intangible
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Paid
Absenteeism
Crime
Hospital Medical Nursing Ancillary
Productivity
losses
Resources
Reduce
Loss of
d quality
life
of life
Produc- Foreign
tion
trade
InsuProperty
rance
destructi
Policing Judicial
adminison
tration
Penal
For more on drugs as a health risk factor, see
Long-term Health Strategy (p7)
1. Refers to % population reporting use of illicit drugs in preceding 12 months
Source: AIHW, 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: First Results (2005); Collins, Lapsley and Lecvalier, Improving economic data to inform decisions in drug control (2000)
www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/bulletin/bulletin_2000-01-01)1)page003.html
18
Communities also suffer the effects of dangerous alcohol
consumption
Binge drinking is a serious problem,
though traditionally under-recognised...
...and brings a range of related risks to the
health and wellbeing of the broader community
Engaging in risky behaviour
79% of Australians do not believe they drink too much despite …
• Average male consumption 4 times recommended
• Average female consumption 2 times recommended
Driving/
operating machinery
Verbal abuse
Most see other people as the problem …
• 60% agree that Australians in general drink too much
• 51% of 18-24 year olds think others drink too much alcohol
• Only 14% self nominated as drinking too much
15.2%
6.0%
Physical abuse
1.1%
Property damage
1.6%
0.4%
Theft
Alcohol misuse costs the Australian economy an
estimated $15.3b
Public nuisance
2.8%
0
10
15
20
Population over 14 years old who have performed an activity
under the influence of alcohol in the last 12 months: 2004 (%)
Percentage of population consuming
over 5 standard drinks on a typical occasion
(%)
5
Causing harm to others
80
27.5%
Verbal abuse
60
22.5%
40
5.4%
Physical abuse
20
3.5%
10.6%
Put in fear
0
15.3%
0
14-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
Age
Men
Women
5
10
15
20
25
30
Population over 14 years old who have
been victims of alcohol-related incidents: 2004 (%)
For more on alcohol as a health risk factor,
see Long-term Health Strategy (p7)
Source: Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation Foundation, Aussie Drinkers in Denial? (13 March 2008); AIHW, 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: First Results (2005)
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Australia has relatively high crime, and people feel less safe than
in many other countries
The UN cites that in 2004/5, ~17%
of Australians were victims of crime...
...and that ~27% of Australians felt
unsafe walking the streets at night
Percentage of population reporting as victims of crime
in the last 12 months - top 20 countries: 2004/51
Percentage of population who report feeling unsafe
on the streets after dark - top 20 countries: 2004/5
Spain
Japan
Hungary
Portugal
Austria
France
Greece
Italy
Finland
Luxembourg
Germany
Scotland
Bulgaria
Poland
Norway
Sweden
Canada
Australia
USA
Belgium
Iceland
Norway
Finland
Canada
Denmark
Netherlands
USA
Austria
Sweden
France
Belgium
Hungary
Northern Ireland
Australia
Ireland
New Zealand
Germany
Scotland
England & Wales
Poland
17.3
0
5
10
15
20
(% of population )
27.0
0
10
20
30
40
(% of population )
1. Refers to all violent or non-violent crime to person or property, in the 12 months to 2004 and/or 2005 (varies by country). Excludes non-conventional crime such as consumer fraud and corruption.
Data collected by survey as to crime victimisation rather than official crime/prosecutorial statistics
Source: UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Criminal Victimisation In International Perspective: Key Findings From The 2004-5 ICVS And EU ICS (2007)
20
Crime rates in Australia are dropping, although some violent crime
is on the rise
Population1 who have been victims of specified crimes (reported and unreported) – Australia: 1998-2005
(%)1
-29%
8
6
+12%
4
-41%
1998
2
-20%
+33%
2002
2005
0
Reporting
rate: 2005
Break-in/
attempted break-in
Vehicle theft
Robbery
74% / 31%2
90%
39%
Assault
31%
Sexual assault
N/A3
1. For break-in/vehicle theft, refers to % surveyed households; for robbery, assault and sexual assault, refers to % surveyed individuals. Includes reported and non-reported crimes 2. Reporting rates
refer to break-in / attempted break-in respectively 3. Data on reporting rates for sexual assault is difficult to obtain. Lievore (2001) estimates ~15%. See Non-reporting and hidden recording of sexual
assault in Australia.
Source: ABS 4509.0, Crime and Safety, Australia 2005 (2006)
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Questions
Community and family life can give people the support, resilience and outlook that they need to play a full
part in Australia’s future. What can we do to enable local communities to provide social networks and
support to every member?
What are the root causes and consequences of social exclusion? What roles can different sectors play in
tackling them?
What measures can we take to ensure that people feel safe in their homes and communities?
What roles do government, business and community sectors play in helping families care for older
Australians, children and people with a disability?
How do we ensure that all Australians have access to adequate housing that is affordable, secure, safe
and accessible?
What can be done to help new Australians to settle and participate in the community?
Some localities experience chronic disadvantage. What needs to be done to ensure that communities
have the appropriate physical and social infrastructure to foster people's health and wellbeing?
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