New questions in the 2006 population census: Some initial findings

Abstract

The 2006 Australian census covered several new topics. These include questions that enable the author to estimate the numbers and characteristics of persons with a profound or serious disability and their carers. Questions were also asked about the level of unpaid work. The study highlights the extent to which females engage in such work. A key finding is that women aged 35-44 bear a heavy unpaid workload, relative to males, despite a high rate of labour force participation. The article also reports the results of 2006 census questions on volunteering, on internet connections and numbers of children ever born.