Reading the numbers Employees provide their diversity status (e.g. reading the representation rate A Representation of Aboriginal age, gender, cultural background, disability) decrease in representation may mean more Australians in local through on-boarding processes, or voluntary disclosures from a particular diversity group, governments questionnaires that may be available to them while at the same time, more from the In one year throughout the year. People may also choose workforce in general. While it provides a not to disclose their diversity status for many general view of workforce diversity, a 12 241 reasons. decreasing representation rate is often employees provided diversity information. assumed to mean fewer employees from a When an employee chooses to provide their This included responses from particular diversity group, which may not be diversity status, it is known as a valid accurate. 263 response, of what the employee discloses. The total number of valid All percentage figures quoted in this report have Aboriginal Australians which resulted in a responses may be less than or equal to the been rounded to one decimal place. representation rate of total number of employees (headcount) in a 2.1% As an example, 12 241 local government public authority. An authority’s number of employees or 50.3 per cent of the workforce valid responses is usually less than its In the following year provided diversity information to their headcount due to employees choosing not to 16 929 authority during one year. In the following provide their diversity status, or not being year, 16 929 or 69.3 per cent disclosed. This provided with the opportunity to do so. employees provided diversity information. increase provides a more accurate picture of This included responses from As employees enter and exit authorities, and workforce diversity in the local government choose to provide their diversity status year 281 sector. to year, the valid response rate for an The increase in valid responses over the 12 Aboriginal Australians which resulted in a authority fluctuates. Ideally, authorities would months results in a lower representation rate representation rate of collect valid responses from all employees at for Aboriginal employees of 1.7 per cent, the same time to maximise valid responses 1.7% down from 2.1 per cent. This is despite an and accuracy. increase in disclosure from 18 Aboriginal 2 Representation rate (expressed as a percentage) shows the employees (263 in one year compared with number of valid responses for a diversity group as a proportion of This fluctuation presents some challenges in total valid responses. 281 the following).
Reading the numbers Employees provide their diversity status (e.g. age, gender, cultural background, disability) through on-boarding processes, or voluntary questionnaires that may be available to them throughout the year. People may also choose not to disclose their diversity status for many reasons. When an employee chooses to provide their diversity status, it is known as a valid response, of what the employee discloses. The total number of valid responses may be less than or equal to the total number of employees (headcount) in a public authority. An authority’s number of valid responses is usually less than its headcount due to employees choosing not to provide their diversity status, or not being provided with the opportunity to do so. As employees enter and exit authorities, and choose to provide their diversity status year to year, the valid response rate for an authority fluctuates. Ideally, authorities would collect valid responses from all employees at the same time to maximise valid responses and accuracy. This fluctuation presents some challenges in reading the representation rate A decrease in representation may mean more disclosures from a particular diversity group, while at the same time, more from the workforce in general. While it provides a general view of workforce diversity, a decreasing representation rate is often assumed to mean fewer employees from a particular diversity group, which may not be accurate. All percentage figures quoted in this report have been rounded to one decimal place. As an example, 12 241 local government employees or 50.3 per cent of the workforce provided diversity information to their authority during one year. In the following year, 16 929 or 69.3 per cent disclosed. This increase provides a more accurate picture of workforce diversity in the local government sector. The increase in valid responses over the 12 months results in a lower representation rate for Aboriginal employees of 1.7 per cent, down from 2.1 per cent. This is despite an increase in disclosure from 18 Aboriginal employees (263 in one year compared with 281 the following). Representation of Aboriginal Australians in local governments In one year 12 241 employees provided diversity information. This included responses from 263 Aboriginal Australians which resulted in a representation rate of 2.1% In the following year 16 929 employees provided diversity information. This included responses from 281 Aboriginal Australians which resulted in a representation rate of 1.7% 2 Representation rate (expressed as a percentage) shows the number of valid responses for a diversity group as a proportion of total valid responses.