Carers Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) officially released the 2015 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) at a press conference at Parliament House during National Carers Week.

Carers Australia CEO, Ara Cresswell, COTA CEO, Ian Yates, and ABS executive, Justine Boland spoke to the media, with all TV stations represented. National media coverage included the ABC News and Senior Australian News.

Data from the 2015 SDAC showed the weekly median income of primary carers was 42% lower than non-carers. The total number of primary carers (those who provided the majority of assistance with core activities of daily living) had also increased in 2015 to 855,000 – a rise of 11%; and just 56% of primary carers between the ages of 15 and 64 participated in the workforce compared to 80% of non-carers.

To coincide with National Carers Week 2016, the ABS released a one page profile of carers in Australia, as well as a video breakdown of many of the carer-related statistics.