Crime has soared across Australia during the past year with the number of people attacked increasing by almost 7,000 and sexual assaults by 1,500.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey of crime recorded by police in 2000 shows the number of crime victims increased in just about every category except murder.

There were 302 people murdered in 2000, compared with 343 in 1999.

The ABS noted that significant yearly fluctuations stemmed from a small number of incidents - the Port Arthur Massacre of 1996 in which 35 people died, the Snowtown murders in South Australia in 1999 (12 dead) and the fire at Childers, Queensland, last year with 15 victims.

However the actual rate of victimization has remained relatively stable over the past eight years, ranging from 1.5 to 1.8 victims per 100,000 population.

The ABS said the proportion or murders committed with weapons had steadily declined from 243 in 1996 to 199 last year.

The figures show gun murders fell by three from 62 in 1999 to 59 in 2000, while robberies with a firearm declined to an eight-year low of 1,328.

However robberies, whether committed by armed or unarmed felons, reached an all time high of 23,314 last year.

That compares with 22,606 robberies in 1999 and just 12,765 in 1993.

Assaults totaled 141,124 in 2000, up 6,853 from the 134,271 in 1999. This category of crime has risen steadily every year for at least the last five.

The ABS figures show 101,170 people were assaulted in 1999 and sexual assaults also rose after actually declining for the previous few years.

The statistics show 15,630 people being sexually attacked in 2000, an increase of 1,526 on 1999.

Victims of all types of property offences also rose significantly.

Break-ins reached 436,685 in 2000, compared with 415,735 in 1999. Car thefts rose seven per cent, from 129,552 in 1999 to 139,094.

Source: Excite.com