Focus on Local Government   

City of Launceston - Tasmania's largest City joins the .id community. 

Launceston's population differs from the Tasmanian averages in some very interesting ways. The recent profile shows how these differences will affect the growth of Launceston, and points to how the City of Launceston will use the profile to help plan their services and resources in the future.

• Launceston is growing - It added 2,200 people between 2001 and 2006, and has added another 1,300 since. This understates the total growth of the urban area, as the main growth corridors are in Meander Valley and West Tamar.

 

• Launceston is young - It attracts significant numbers of 15-24 year olds to education and employment opportunities, and has a higher proportion of people in their 20s and early 30s than the Tasmanian or national averages.

 

• Despite the younger population, the ageing of the baby boomers was the dominant population trend between 2001 and 2006, with an increase of almost 900 people in their 50s (born between 1946 and 1955).Read more... 

Census Countdown  

New ABS geography part 5 - Greater Capital Cities - are they greater?

The ABS is moving from the concept of "Capital City Statistical Division" to "Greater Capital City Statistical Areas", as part of the new geography - the ASGS.

While this may just seem like a bit of jargon, it's actually got quite a significant impact - partly because a lot more ABS collections produce data at this level, and partly because the capital city is just more visible than other areas.

This is next part in our series about what the new ABS geography looks like and how it will affect you.  Read more...  

inside .id  

Getting ready for the "Census Tsunami". 

As Ivan says, if you're one of our clients, you don't need to worry about updating your Census data, that's our job.

We're already putting the systems in place to ensure a smooth updating process when the first data is released in June 2012. 

profile.id will be updated first, followed by atlas.id. As part of our preparation we'll be contacting all of our clients with a couple of questions :

1. Do you want to change your small area geography?

2. Have you switched to the smooth pricing model (no more to pay at Census time). If not, have you made sure you have some money in your budget for the update? 

 In the meantime, you can sign up to our blog for articles and news about the 2011 Census.

A word from our researchers

Western Australia - is it all about mining?

Western Australia is often quoted as the "powerhouse" of the Australian economy, due to its huge mining wealth. From gold in the Kalgoorlie area, to the Pilbara's iron ore, Argyle diamonds,  Collie's coal, natural gas in the north-west shelf as well as, nickel, magnesium, aluminium and lead, WA has been blessed with natural resources.    

But what impact do they have on the state's economy, and is there more to the WA economy than just mining? economy.id can provide some insights. Read more... 

What are the secret population trends no-one else is talking about?

Schedule a free .id briefing and find out! 

.id is the largest group of population forecasters in Australia - and our work with over 120 forecast.id customer councils has given us a unique insight into the trends that are happening right now, ahead of the census.

Want a sneak peek?  We are running a series of .id briefings which will "let the cat out of the bag" and provide you with a head start on some of the major population trends that we are currently seeing. Download a brochure and Contact us to arrange a time. 

Tips and Tricks  

Don't overlook your free training!

Each year, whether your council is small or large, it's likely that there a significant amount of staff turnover.  People retire or move on to other jobs, and new people join your organisation.

Particularly when people start working for your council, it is important that they get an understanding of the community you serve.  What are the characteristics of your population? How do those characteristics differ from surrounding areas?  What services will be needed, and to what extent? 

Every one of  your staff members should have a good understanding of your community, just as every staff member in any business should have a good understanding of the customers they serve.

So - don't overlook training.  It's often easy to say that "everyone has done it before" - but have they?  And even if they have, wouldn't a quick refresher be valuable?

Remember, for most councils, annual training is included in your .id subscription fee.  So give us a call and we'll be happy to schedule a session with you.    

Check out the profile training overview here..

Last days in 2010/2011 budget...

Late June is a great time to make a start with a new .id tool.  

If you already have profile and atlas, consider how an .id forecast could help you map out your plans for the future with the knowledge of future population trends, with specific age-range by year, by small area, information.

Or, think about how your local businesses, and local Chamber of Commerce, could benefit from a closer understanding of your local economy.  For example, what industries are growing - and probably, more importantly - what significant industries in your area are shrinking - and why?

economy .id can help you develop meaningful economic development strategies to ensure your City's economy stays ahead of the pack.

If you want to make a start with a .id forecast or .id economic profile, perhaps using some final 2010/2011 budget, please give us a call.  We'd be happy to help you head into 2011/2012 with a solid foundation of high quality, meaningful and up to date information... 

contact us 

Modern day planning - in 1966?   

Read more...