Access keys | Skip to primary navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer |
Problems viewing this site
Home > Products > Bulletins > Children and Young People in Queensland (Bulletin 10 Census 2001)

Children and Young People in Queensland (Census 2001 Bulletin no. 10)

Contents


This bulletin contains information on children and young people aged 0 to 24 years in Queensland. The data in this bulletin mainly come from the five-yearly Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and are based on place of usual residence unless otherwise stated. Where other sources of data have been used, these have been referenced. The topics covered in this bulletin include general demography, education, labour force and use of computers and the internet.

Key Points

Demography

The Census of Population and Housing 2001 counted 3,655,139 persons in Queensland. Of this total, there were 1,257,777 persons aged 0 to 24 years, representing 34.4% of the population. Males slightly outnumbered females in the 0 to 24 years age group (641,200 males compared with 616,577 females, or a ratio of 51.0 to 49.0). A long-term trend in Queensland has been for an increasing number of children and young people but as a declining proportion of the total population. At the 1971 Census there were 851,960 persons aged 0 to 24 years counted in Queensland, representing 46.6% of the population. By 1991 the number had increased to 1,139,058 persons, but the proportion had fallen to 38.3% of the total. In 2001 there were 1,257,777 persons aged 0 to 24 years, comprising 34.4% of the total population.

These trends are projected to continue. Medium series population projections released by the Queensland Government in 2003 show that there are projected to be 1.6 million persons aged 0 to 24 years in Queensland by 2051, representing just 25% of the total population.(1)

The Indigenous population has a much younger profile compared with the overall population. This is reflected in the proportion of Indigenous persons aged 0 to 24 years. In the 2001 Census, 58.3% of Queensland’s Indigenous population were aged 0 to 24 years compared with 34.4% of the total population. The disparity was even greater for the 0 to 14 years age group. Of the total Indigenous population, 40.1% were counted in this age group compared with only 20.9% of the overall Queensland population.

The proportion of children and young people in Queensland varies between statistical divisions. Northern and North West statistical divisions recorded the highest proportions of persons aged 0 to 24 years in their total populations in the 2001 Census (37.2% and 37.0% respectively) while Moreton and Wide Bay-Burnett statistical divisions had the lowest proportions (31.0% and 32.1% respectively) (see Table 1).

Table 1: Persons aged 0 to 24 years by statistical division, Queensland, 2001

Statistical Division Persons aged 0–24 years % of total population
Brisbane 581,584 35.7
Moreton 230,585 31.0
Wide Bay-Burnett 75,937 32.1
Darling Downs 74,986 36.9
South West 9,374 34.8
Fitzroy 67,071 36.8
Central West 4,625 33.9
Mackay 49,080 34.2
Northern 71,238 37.2
Far North 78,624 32.1
North West 14,460 37.0
Queensland (a) 1,257,777 34.4
 
(a) Includes off-shore areas and migratory.
 
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001 Census of Population and Housing

Some 100,402 persons aged 0 to 24 years in Queensland in 2001 were born overseas. This is probably understated due to the large number of persons in this age group who had a ‘not stated’ birthplace. Main overseas countries of birth for this age group were New Zealand (31,157 persons), United Kingdom (12,074), South Africa (4,596), Philippines (3,521), Hong Kong (2,682), United States (2,516), Malaysia (2,121) and Fiji (2,014).

A further indication of the cultural diversity of children and young people in Queensland is the number who speak a language other than English at home. At the time of the 2001 Census, 143,960 persons aged 0 to 24 years spoke another language at home.

(1) Queensland Government, Population Projections to 2051: Queensland and Statistical Divisions, 2003 (see www.oesr.qld.gov.au)

Education

Increasing numbers of young persons are attending infants/primary and secondary educational institutions in Queensland. These increases can be explained mainly by an increase in the number of persons of schooling age. Between the 1991 and 2001 Censuses, attendance at an infants or primary educational institution increased from 293,097 persons to 347,676 persons (up 18.6%), while attendance at a secondary educational institution increased from 192,807 persons to 225,258 persons (up 16.8%). However, over the same period, the number of persons aged 5 to 17 years of age in Queensland increased by only 14.7%.

The number of persons attending a tertiary educational institution in Queensland has increased greatly in recent years, well above what would be expected from population increase alone. According to the 1991 Census, there were 47,944 persons attending a technical or further education (TAFE) institution and 88,817 persons attending a university or other tertiary institution in Queensland. By the 2001 Census, these numbers had increased to 73,542 and 137,486 persons respectively, representing increases of 53.4% and 54.8% over this period.

More people are studying full-time. Between 1991 and 2001, the proportion of students studying full-time at TAFE increased from 23.6% to 33.5% and the proportion of students studying full-time at a university rose from 58.9% to 63.5%.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate that secondary school retention rates are higher in Queensland than in Australia as a whole, and that these rates are increasing. The proportion of Queensland students remaining at secondary school until Year 12 rose from 76.5% in 1996 to 81.3% in 2002 compared with an increase from 71.3% to 75.1% for Australia over the same period (see Table 2).

Table 2: Apparent retention rates for secondary students, Queensland and Australia, 1996 to 2002

  Years 7/8 to Year 12 Year 10 to Year 12
  Qld Australia Qld Australia
  % % % %
1996 76.5 71.3 76.5 73.6
1997 77.9 71.8 77.9 74.5
1998 77.3 71.6 77.7 74.1
1999 77.5 72.3 78.3 74.4
2000 77.3 72.3 78.7 74.4
2001 79.0 73.4 79.7 75.4
2002 81.3 75.1 81.1 77.0
 
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Schools, Australia, Cat. no. 4221.0

Labour force

Labour force data are collected from persons aged 15 years and over in the Census of Population and Housing and in the monthly Labour Force Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

In the 2001 Census there were 276,229 employed persons aged 15 to 24 years counted in Queensland, representing 17.6% of all employed persons. In this age group, there were 140,058 employed males and 136,171 employed females. Females constituted 45.3% of the total workforce, but represented 49.3% of the workforce aged 15 to 24 years.

Younger persons in the 15 to 19 years age group are more likely to be employed part-time compared with the overall workforce. Nearly three-quarters (71.9%) of employed females and more than half (55.2%) of employed males aged 15 to 19 years in Queensland were employed part-time in 2001. Part-time employment rates for persons aged 20 to 24 years were 41.8% for females and 26.8% for males, more comparable with the rest of the workforce (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Part-time employment as a proportion of total employment, by sex, Queensland, 2001

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001 Census of Population and Housing

According to the 2001 Census of Population and Housing, 17.7% of employed persons in Queensland were aged 15 to 24 years. Persons in this age group were most prevalent in the retail trade industry (36.2% of total industry employment) and the accommodation, cafes and restaurants industry (33.1% of total industry employment). Only 8.5% of persons employed in mining and 8.7% of persons employed in education were aged 15 to 24 years (see Table 3).

Table 3: Employment by industry, persons aged 15 to 24 years as a percentage of total persons, by sex, Queensland, 2001

Industry Males Females Persons
% % %
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 13.2 9.0 11.9
Mining 7.8 13.7 8.5
Manufacturing 16.3 12.0 15.3
Electricity, Gas and Water Supply 8.4 12.7 9.1
Construction 14.3 9.2 13.6
Wholesale Trade 15.2 15.6 15.3
Retail Trade 34.5 37.7 36.2
Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants 32.0 33.9 33.1
Transport and Storage 6.5 13.4 8.3
Communication Services 8.1 12.7 9.8
Finance and Insurance 9.1 15.7 13.1
Property and Business Services 12.3 17.6 14.8
Government Administration and Defence 13.3 12.2 12.8
Education 8.3 8.8 8.7
Health and Community Services 7.9 11.4 10.6
Cultural and Recreational Services 20.6 24.0 22.2
Personal and Other Services 9.2 21.3 15.1
Total (a) 16.5 19.3 17.7
 
(a) Includes non-classifiable economic units and not stated responses.
 
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001 Census of Population and Housing

In the 2001 Census, employed persons aged 15 to 24 years were greatly under-represented as managers and administrators, representing only 3.3% of total persons in this occupation category. In contrast, 42.1% of persons employed as elementary clerical, sales and service workers were aged 15 to 24 years (see Table 4).

Table 4: Employment by occupation, persons aged 15 to 24 years as a percentage of total persons, by sex, Queensland, 2001

Occupation Males Females Persons
% % %
Managers and Administrators 3.0 3.9 3.3
Professionals 8.1 9.9 9.1
Associate Professionals 8.8 11.7 10.1
Tradespersons and Related Workers 20.5 23.3 20.8
Advanced Clerical and Service Workers 11.2 11.3 11.3
Intermediate Clerical, Sales and Service Workers 17.5 21.7 20.6
Intermediate Production and Transport Workers 14.2 16.2 14.4
Elementary Clerical, Sales and Service Workers 40.3 43.0 42.1
Labourers and Related Workers 29.4 17.2 25.0
Total (a) 16.5 19.3 17.7
 
(a) Includes inadequately described and not stated responses.
 
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001 Census of Population and Housing

Youth unemployment rates in Queensland have been trending downwards in recent years, especially for the 15 to 19 years age group. Female unemployment rates have been lower than those recorded for males. The male unemployment rate fell from 21.3% in 1995-96 to 18.3% in 2002-03, compared with a decline from 19.9% to 18.1% for the female rate over the same period (see Figure 2 and Table 5).

Figure 2: Unemployment rate (a), 15 to 19 years age group, by sex, Queensland, 1995-96 to 2002-03

(a) Average annual rate.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rates for males aged 20 to 24 years have declined slightly in recent years, but rates for females have been relatively stable. The unemployment rate for males in this age group declined from 13.9% in 1995-96 to 11.7% in 2002-03. The rate for females was 10.5% in both years (see Figure 3 and Table 5).

Figure 3: Unemployment rate (a), 20 to 24 years age group, by sex, Queensland, 1995-96 to 2002-03

(a) Average annual rate.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force Survey

Table 5: Unemployment rate (a), persons aged 15 to 19 years and 20 to 24 years, by sex, Queensland, 1995-96 to 2002-03

Financial Year Males Females
  15-19 Years 20-24 Years 15-19 Years 20-24 Years
% % % %
1995-96 21.3 13.9 19.9 10.5
1996-97 23.1 13.7 20.0 11.7
1997-98 20.2 14.7 19.0 11.6
1998-99 19.2 12.7 18.4 12.4
1999-00 19.2 11.4 16.5 10.0
2000-01 19.9 12.9 18.0 11.0
2001-02 19.2 13.7 16.6 12.3
2002-03 18.3 11.7 18.1 10.5
 
(a) Average annual rate.
 
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force Survey

Computer and internet use

Questions on computer use at home and internet use were asked for the first time in the Census of Population and Housing in 2001. The results showed that 606,534 persons aged 0 to 24 years in Queensland used a personal computer at home in the week before the census. Proportionally, more persons aged 10 to 14 years used a computer at home compared with any other age group (67.1%), followed by the 15 to 19 years age group (64.3%) (see Table 6).

Table 6: Persons who used a personal computer at home in the week before census night (a), by age group, Queensland, 2001

Age group (years) Number % of total
0-9 158,668 31.5
Oct-14 173,729 67.1
15-19 165,487 64.3
20-24 108,650 45.7
25-34 235,769 46.2
35-44 277,547 51.8
45-54 214,955 43.8
55-64 101,402 29.1
65-74 34,881 14.2
75+ 10,150 5.1
Total 1,481,238 41.3
 
(a) On an actual location basis.
     
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001 Census of Population and Housing

In the week before the 2001 Census, there were 473,398 persons aged 0 to 24 years usually resident in Queensland who used the internet anywhere. Internet use peaked in the age groups between 10 and 24 years. About three-fifths (60.9%) of persons aged 15 to 19 years used the internet compared with 53.1% of persons aged 10 to 14 years and 52.1% of those aged 20 to 24 years (see Table 7).

Table 7: Persons who used the internet in the week before census night, by age group, Queensland, 2001

Age group (years) Number % of total
0-9 56,325 11.2
Oct-14 137,247 53.1
15-19 156,562 60.9
20-24 123,264 52.1
25-34 247,714 48.9
35-44 245,882 46.2
45-54 193,092 39.9
55-64 82,312 24.7
65-74 22,307 9.9
75+ 5,692 3.0
Total 1,270,397 36.1
 
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001 Census of Population and Housing

Last reviewed 1 July 2008