Please list any other organisations you have collaborated with on this submission.
Who you have consulted with
None
What is your submission about?
Please provide a brief summary of your submission
Topic name
Separating non-profit from for-profit in your private sector employment classification
Choose your area of interest
Please select one item
(Required)
Population
Sex and gender
Households and families
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Ticked
Income and work
Unpaid work and care
Education and training
Disability and carers
Housing
Location
Transport
Cultural diversity
Religion
Other topic
Topics on Income and work
Choose one of more of the following topics that relates to your submission
Please select all that apply
Income
Labour force status
Ticked
Status in employment
Hours worked
Self employed - number of employees
Occupation
Industry of employment
Other/unknown
Assessment Criteria 1
1.
This topic is of current national importance.
National Importance
The fact that the data collected currently means that one cannot distinguish between workers employed in the for-profit compared to the non-profit sector means that policies relating to employment cannot easily distinguish between them. The non-profit sector is a rapidly growing sector and in the area of research I do, on Aboriginal community-based organisations, it is impossible to know how many people that sector employs. Yet it is a very important sector from what we can piece together in terms of Aboriginal employment. But the same is true in relation to the non-profit sector generally. The Productivity Commission has done considerable work on the NFP sector in Australia and it would be useful to talk to them about this blurring of lines when this sector is lumped together with the business sector.
Assessment Criteria 2
2.
There is a need for data from a Census of the whole population.
For whole population
As mentioned above, in my case the interest relates specifically to Aboriginal employment.
Assessment Criteria 3
3.
The topic can be accurately collected in a form which the household completes themselves.
Easy to answer
It would be very easy to collect as people know whether they are working for a profit making company or a not-for-profit organisation. The test would be whether a dividend is provided to shareholders or profit is held by individuals ( in a private business) as against re-invested in the program of the organisation or the community.
Assessment Criteria 4
4.
The topic would be acceptable to Census respondents.
Acceptable
This would not be controversial. offensive or intrusive , and it could be accurately answered
Assessment Criteria 5
5.
The topic can be collected efficiently.
Collected efficiently
The coding would be simple - only 2 options instead of one previously . It would just expand public vs private to add the third sector - not for profit.
Assessment Criteria 6
6.
There is likely to be a continuing need for data on this topic in the following Census.
Continuing need
This topic is likely to have ongoing relevance in policy & research terms.
Assessment Criteria 7
7.
There are no other alternative data sources or solutions that could meet the topic need.
No alternatives
I have not seen any other data source which collects the information accurately and 5-yearly to track changes over time in employment in the not for profit sector. You could check with the Productivity Commission.
Any further comments?
If you would like to tell us anything else about your submission, please comment below.
Further comments
This matter came up at a public seminar at the ANU where an ABS official was present and he recommended that I should make this submission. Apologies that I do not have time to research it thoroughly right now but it is something that has troubled me for many years, and I do not know why this distinction has never been made.