This document aims to give some statistical context to the recent focus by the state government on growing the creative industries.

Based primarily on the Australian Census for the years 2006, 2011 and 2016, the authors attempt to give a snapshot of employment trends and characteristics in this sector. They suggest that the sector has some serious challenges before it, challenges not best served by an approach based on standard economic growth models. At the end, they outline some different possible approaches for further debate.