AUSTRALIANS are earning more, living longer and are better
educated than they were 10 years ago, data from the Australian
Bureau of Statistics revealed on Tuesday. The ABS released its
Measure of Australia's progress report, showing a girl born in
2010 could expect to live until she was 84, while a boy born the
same year could live to 79.5 years old. ABS director of social
and progress reporting Sue Taylor said the latest MAP release
also found that education and employment were improving. "In
2011, 64% of 25 to 64 years olds held a vocational or higher
education qualification compared to 53% in 2001," she said. "The
annual average unemployment rate declined from 6.8% to 5.1%
between 2001 and 2011 and the average household weekly income of
low and middle-income households rose between 2000 and 2010,"
she said. But it was not all good news. The latest MAP update
also revealing both productivity and environmental indicators
had declined. "Our most recent productivity cycle showed a
negative growth of -0.8%," Ms