Is Australia Progressing? Check the MAP

Is life in Australia getting better? The latest Bureau of Statistics “dashboard” shows Australia is in good shape.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has launched the latest edition of Measures of Australia’s Progress (MAP) revealing information across a range of social, economic, environmental and governance measures.

"The latest release of MAP shows us that overall, Australia is in pretty good shape with more progress or little movement, than regress, which is a great result,” ABS Director Fiona Dowsley said.

"Progress was found in the areas of health, learning and knowledge, jobs, living standards and participation. We have only regressed in the areas of our economy's resilience and sustaining the environment.”

Australian Statistician Brian Pink said: "Measuring progress is one of the most important and challenging tasks that a national statistical agency can undertake, and this refreshed edition of Measures of Australia’s Progress (MAP) represents a key milestone for the ABS."

The new edition of MAP covers aspects of life identified by Australians as most important.

In the area of community connections and diversity, the ABS says things have remained largely unchanged.

“Australians told us that it was important for individuals to feel connected with, contribute to, feel included in and valued by their community beyond their family and friends. An important aspect of this relationship was reciprocity, where people both give to and receive from the community,” the ABS said.

“Connectedness was seen as something that can be built through quality interactions, for example through cultural activities, volunteering and services provided within the community. It can be evident in the shared sense of identity that communities and Australians have.”

Diversity was also valued, and linked with our ability to be resilient and innovative.

“We have decided that there has been little change in community connections and diversity in Australia in recent years because the proportion of people aged 18 years and over who had no involvement in social and community groups in the 12 months prior to being interviewed (our headline progress indicator for community connections and diversity) hasn't moved much,” the ABS said.

The MAP shows that:

• Between 2006 and 2010, across all age groups, there was no significant change in the proportion of people who had no involvement in social and community groups in the 12 months prior to being interviewed;

• Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory experienced significant increases between 2006 and 2010, in the proportion of people who had no involvement in social and community groups in the 12 months prior to being interviewed (29 per cent to 35 per cent and 24 per cent and 28 per cent respectively).  

Further information is available in Measures of Australia's Progress 2013 available for free download from the ABS website.