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Community Information Summary Historical Background Indonesia-born Community Information Summary Historical Background Links between Indonesia and Australia existed before European settlement. From the 1700s, and possibly earlier, to around 1900, seafarers from Macassar traded trepang (edible sea-slugs) with local Indigenous people in northern Australia for the Chinese market. From the 1870s, Indonesians were recruited to work in the pearling and sugar cane industries in the north of Australia, with many being Javanese. With immigration restrictions in 1901, most sugarcane workers returned to Indonesia while some pearl divers remained. From the 1950s, many Indonesian students became temporary residents under the Colombo Plan. During World War II, the Dutch East Indies Government-in-exile settled in Australia. It brought with it around 4500 Indonesian refugees, most of whom were repatriated after the Japanese surrender. As restrictions on the entry of non-Europeans eased in the late 1960s, more Indonesians settled in Australia, increasing four-fold during 1986-1996. Those who were new arrivals were students on temporary visas while others came under the family component or skilled migration programs. Today, the Indonesian community in Australia is made up of several diverse groups. The more recent arrivals are of mixed ancestries, reflecting the myriad of groups that make up the modern Indonesian nation. 2016 Census Geographic Distribution The latest Census in 2016 recorded 73,213 Indonesia-born people in Australia, an increase of 15.9 per cent from the 2011 Census. The 2016 distribution by State and Territory showed New South Wales had the largest number with 31,774 followed by Victoria (17,805), Western Australia (11,394) and Queensland (7,321). Age and Sex The median age of the Indonesia-born in 2016 was 36 years compared with 44 Age and Sex Per cent years for all overseas-born and 38 (%) Male Female years for the total Australian population. 25 20 The age distribution showed 5.7 per cent were aged 0-14 years, 16.6 per 15 cent were 15-24 years, 47.0 per cent were 25-44 years, 20.5 per cent were 10 45-64 years and 10.2 per cent were 65 years and over. 5 0 Of the Indonesia-born in Australia, there were 31,381 males (42.9 per cent) and 41,836 females (57.1 per cent). The sex ratio was 75 males per Age 100 females. Ancestry In the 2016 Census, the top ancestry Ancestry Response responses* that Indonesia-born people Indonesian reported were Indonesian (40,342), 46.1% Chinese (34,396) and Dutch (3,483). In the 2016 Census, Australians reported over 300 different ancestries. Of the total ancestry responses* 65,886 responses were towards Indonesian ancestry. Other Chinese Ancestry 39.3% * At the 2016 Census up to two responses per person 8.8% Australian Dutch were allowed for the Ancestry question, therefore 1.8% 4.0% there can be more responses than total persons. Language Language Spoken at Home Indonesian The main languages spoken at home 72.2% by Indonesia-born people in Australia were Indonesian (52,833), English (12,327) and Mandarin (3,508). Of the 60,730 Indonesia-born who spoke a language other than English at home, 90.2 per cent spoke English very well or well, and 9.2 per cent spoke English not well or not at all. Other English Languages 16.8% 4.2% Dutch Mandarin 1.6% 4.8% Religion At the 2016 Census the major religious Religion Catholic affiliations amongst Indonesia-born No Religion, 24.0% were Catholic (17,602), Islam (13,845) so described Other 9.4% Islam and Buddhism (7,346). Religion Catholic18.9% 24.7% 24.0% Of the Indonesia-born, 9.4 per cent stated 'No Religion' which was lower than that of the total Australian population (29.6 per cent), and 4.5 per cent did not state a religion. Buddhism 10.0% Other Islam Religion Christian, nfd 18.9% 24.7%Christian, nfd 8.3% 8.3% Buddhism 10.0% Arrival Compared to 61.8 per cent of the total overseas-born population, 56.9 per Arrival in Australia cent of the Indonesia-born people in Per cent (%) Indonesia-born All Overseas-born Australia arrived in Australia prior to 25 2007. 20 15 Among the total Indonesia-born in 10 Australia at the 2016 Census, 17.2 per cent arrived between 2007 and 2011 5 and 23.3 per cent arrived between 2012 and 2016. 0 Year of Arrival Median Income At the time of the 2016 Census, the median Individual Weekly Income for the Indonesia-born in Australia aged 15 years and over was $572, compared with $615 for all overseas-born and $688 for all Australian-born. The total Australian population aged 15 and over had a median Individual Weekly Income of $662. Qualifications Qualifications At the 2016 Census, 67.2 per cent of the Per cent Indonesia-born Total Population Indonesia-born aged 15 years and over (%) 50 had some form of higher non-school 45 qualification compared to 60.1 per cent of 40 the Australian population. 35 30 Of the Indonesia-born aged 15 years and 25 over, 12.0 per cent had no qualifications 20 and were still attending an educational 15 10 institution. The corresponding rate for the 5 total Australian population was 8.5 per 0 cent. Degree and Advanced Certificate Level Inad No higher Diploma and Level Desc/Not Qualifications Diploma Level stated - Attending Ed Inst Level of Qualification Employment Occupation Among Indonesia-born people aged 15 Per cent Indonesia-born Total Population years and over, the participation rate in (%) the labour force was 66.0 per cent and 30 the unemployment rate was 9.4 per cent. 25 The corresponding rates in the total 20 Australian population were 64.6 per cent and 6.9 per cent respectively. 15 10 Of the 41,037 Indonesia-born who were employed, 43.1 per cent were employed in 5 either a skilled managerial, professional or 0 trade occupation. The corresponding rate Managers Prof Tech & Comm & Clerical Sales Mach Labourers in the total Australian population was 48.8 Trades Personal & Wrkrs Op & per cent. Service Admin Drivers Occupation Produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the Department of Home Affairs All data used in this summary is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing. © Commonwealth of Australia 2018.
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