Sources: ABS (unpublished) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey 2008, table 5A.5.1; ABS (2004) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, Australia, 2002, table 5A.5.6. Comparable time data on language speakers are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians aged 15 years and over. Nationally, from 2002 to 2008, there was no significant change in the proportion of Indigenous language speakers (21.1 per cent and 19.1 per cent respectively). Across age groups, the only significant change was a decrease in the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 15–24 year olds speaking an Indigenous language (from 18.2 per cent in 2002 to 13.1 per cent in 2008) (figure 5.5.3). The NILS2 data are heavily qualified, but indicate that in 2012: of the 54 languages for which responses were received, 32 were said to have full speakers in one of the age groups there was a wide crossgenerational decline in usage of the 102 responses, 15 respondents answered that people were fluent in the language for all age groups (Marmion, Obata and Troy 2014). Comparisons between the 2005 and 2012 NILS data indicate that: in 2005 there were around 145 languages still spoken, with around 18 languages considered strong (spoken by all age groups and being passed on to children) in 2012 there were around 120 languages still spoken, with around 13 languages considered strong (five fewer than in 2012) (Marmion, Obata and Troy 2014). Future directions in data Data on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language use are limited. Consistent and comparable collection of data on learners and speakers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages is important to enable meaningful analysis of change over time. References AHRC (Australian Human Rights Commission) 2010, Report Social Justice Report 2009, No.1/2010, Sydney. (Australian Human Rights Commission) 2012, —— Social Justice Report 2012 of the 26 October, Social Justice Aboriginal and Torres Strait Social Justice Commissioner, Reports, Sydney. AIATSIS and FATSIL (Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages) 2005,
Sources: ABS (unpublished) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey 2008, table 5A.5.1; ABS (2004) National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, Australia, 2002, table 5A.5.6. Comparable time data on language speakers are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians aged 15 years and over. Nationally, from 2002 to 2008, there was no significant change in the proportion of Indigenous language speakers (21.1 per cent and 19.1 per cent respectively). Across age groups, the only significant change was a decrease in the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 15–24 year olds speaking an Indigenous language (from 18.2 per cent in 2002 to 13.1 per cent in 2008) (figure 5.5.3). The NILS2 data are heavily qualified, but indicate that in 2012: of the 54 languages for which responses were received, 32 were said to have full speakers in one of the age groups there was a wide crossgenerational decline in usage of the 102 responses, 15 respondents answered that people were fluent in the language for all age groups (Marmion, Obata and Troy 2014). Comparisons between the 2005 and 2012 NILS data indicate that: in 2005 there were around 145 languages still spoken, with around 18 languages considered strong (spoken by all age groups and being passed on to children) in 2012 there were around 120 languages still spoken, with around 13 languages considered strong (five fewer than in 2012) (Marmion, Obata and Troy 2014). Future directions in data Data on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language use are limited. Consistent and comparable collection of data on learners and speakers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages is important to enable meaningful analysis of change over time. References AHRC (Australian Human Rights Commission) 2010, Social Justice Report 2009, Report No.1/2010, Sydney. —— (Australian Human Rights Commission) 2012, Social Justice Report 2012 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Social Justice Commissioner, 26 October, Social Justice Reports, Sydney. AIATSIS and FATSIL (Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages) 2005,
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