"The supply of nurses increased by 6.2% between 2005 and 2009, from 1,040 full time equivalent (FTE) nurses per 100,000 population to 1,105 FTE nurses based on a 38-hour week. This was mainly a result of both a 13.3% increase in the number of employed nurses, and a 0.9% increase in the average hours they worked over this period. Nursing continued to be a female dominated profession, with females comprising 90.4% of employed nurses in 2009 (down slightly from 92.1% in 2005)."

Reference: AIHW 2011. Nursing and midwifery labour force 2009. AIHW bulletin no. 90. Cat. no. AUS 139. Canberra: AIHW. Viewed 26 August 2011 <http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737419682>.