Leanne JohnsonRegional Research Leader, BTRE

A BTRE perspective on regional indicators

Outline of presentation

• Overview of regional research in BTRE

• Regional information and indicators

• Issues

• Directions

Background

• Regional research introduced to BTRE in 2002- Small team of 8 researchers

• What we do:– Undertake research projects and publish reports– Provide advice on research related issues– Build and maintain networks– Events

BTRE Research Programme

• Set each year following consultations– Department’s executive and senior officers– Other Australian government agencies– External stakeholders

• If minister requires any significant new matter to be investigated, the bureau modifies its programme accordingly

BTRE regional publications

• About Australia’s Regions pocket-size booklet

• Focus on Regions series

• Government interventions in pursuit of regional development

• Regional Public Transport

• Investment Trends in the Lower Murray Darling Basin

• Skill Shortages in Australia’s Regions

Current research

• Drivers of economic growth in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Region

• Tasmania’s economic development

• Regional impacts of water trading in the Murray Valley

• Cost of remoteness

Regional information and indicators

• Transport in regions

• National Regional Evaluation Framework (NREF)• About Australia’s Regions• Focus on Regions

About Australia’s Regions

Focus on Regions

1. Industry structure

2. Education, skills and qualifications

3. Taxable income (+ update)

4. Social capital

5. Welfare dependency

6. Household wealth

Focus on Regions 1: Industry structure

• Census data from 1991, 1996 and 2001

• BTRE Industry Structure Database

• Regional unit of analysis– Statistical local areas– BTRE labour market regions

• Research findings– Changes in regional industry structure between 1991 and 2001– Industry structure and regional economic growth

Focus on Regions 3: Taxable Income

• Indicators of economic growth for small areas– Time series: 1980-81 to 2000-01– Aggregate real taxable income (ARTI)– Real income per taxpayer (RIPT)

• Upgrade to 2003-04 due out shortly

• Provides tool for understanding impacts of events on local economies

Focus on Regions 4: Social capital

• Conceptual framework: ABS Measuring Social Capital, An Australian Framework and Indicators– Selected 33 social capital indicators – Snapshot for 2001-02– Social Capital Indicators Database

• Regions

• Analysis

Focus on Regions 6: Household wealth• Project aims to develop & analyse measures of household

wealth for regions

• Survey data provides benchmark measures

• Small area data for specific components of wealth:– Valuer General’s house price data, Census home ownership data– ATO: Interest earned on bank accounts, Imputation credits, HECS– ABARE farm business assets and debts

• Methodologies for producing small area estimates

Common issues (1)

• Nationally comparable data for regions

• Access

• Geography

• Time– Regularly updated

– Timely

– Historic time-series

Common issues (2)

• Spatial disaggregation

• Gaps

• Modelling and estimation

Directions

• Building upon work done to date– Sponge cities– Drivers of labour mobility– Regional and national economic cycles

• COAG National Reform Agenda

• Statistics and data management

• Relationships and networks

Questions?

Leanne JohnsonRegional Research & StatisticsBureau of Transport & Regional Economics (BTRE)Department of Transport & Regional Services (DOTARS)

Tel: 02 6274 7355 leanne.johnson@dotars.gov.au www.dotars.gov.auwww.btre.gov.au