Which Population?

Bell, Martin and Ward, Gary (1998) Which Population?. Australian Planner, 35 1: 32-38.

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Author Bell, Martin
Ward, Gary
Title Which Population?
Journal name Australian Planner
Publication date 1998-01-01
Volume number 35
Issue number 1
Start page 32
End page 38
Subject 370500 Demography
370400 Human Geography
370501 Population Trends and Policies
Abstract The release of data from the 1996 Australian Census of Population and Housing, now underway, will trigger a new cycle of analysis and research on population trends and the social, demographic and economic characteristics of local and regional populations. The Census provides the most comprehensive source of data on the size and composition of the population and, as a result, is used widely in planning the provision of services and facilities. However, the Census, like all data sources, has its pitfalls. Care is needed, even at the most basic level of selecting the appropriate measures of population, for the task at hand. The Census provides the basis for three quite distinct measures of population and in many parts of Australia these give very different pictures, not only of the size of the population, but also its composition. This paper outlines the major differ¬ences between these measures and exam¬ines some of the difficulties these present for planners and policy makers working with data for small geographic regions such as Local Government Areas (LGAs), Statistical Local Areas (SLAB) or Census Collection Districts (CDs). Results from the 1996 Census were only just becoming available at the time of writing so the analysis presented here is based largely on information from 1991. Although the statistics themselves are now somewhat dated, the analysis serves to focus atten¬tion on the need to discriminate between the various measures of population that are available and the traps they hold for the unwary.
Keyword census counts
usual residents
estimated resident population
temporary mobility
visitors
Additional Notes This is an author version of an article originally published as Bell, Martin and Ward, Gary (1998) Which population? Australian Planner, v.35, no.1 1998: 32-38.

 
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Created: Mon, 13 Nov 2006, 10:00:00 EST by Jesse Mills