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6. Australian Indigenous Geographical Classification
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Australian Indigenous Geographical Classification (AIGC) aims to provide a geographical standard for the publication of statistics about the Indigenous population of Australia.
The first edition of this classification was produced for the 1996 Census. The classification comprises four levels of geographic units in a single hierarchy, the smallest unit being the Census Collection District (CD). CDs aggregate to form Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) which in turn aggregate to form Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which then aggregate to form the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) Regions (AREGs). At each level of the hierarchical structure, the component spatial units collectively cover the whole of geographic Australia without gaps or overlaps.
AREGs can cross State/Territory borders. For example, the AREG Queanbeyan crosses the borders of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory (Other Territories).
Statistics from the 2001 Census are available for all levels of the classification.
The three Indigenous Geographic units are described below. For a detailed description of CDs, please refer to Statistical Geography Volume 1 Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0).
ATSIC REGIONS
General Description
An official ATSIC Region is a legally prescribed area for the purposes of administration by ATSIC and the Torres Strait Regional Authority, and for the election of their members. The official ATSIC Regions used as a basis to create this classification were those current in 1999.
For this classification, CD derived ATSIC Regions (AREGs) are created by the ABS using the methods described in Chapter 1, p.5. However, CDs were redesigned for 2001 to provide a better fit with official ATSIC Region boundaries. Generally, official ATSIC Regions and CD boundaries now coincide and the CD derived AREG boundaries are, in most cases, identical to the official boundaries.
AREG names and codes
For the 2001 Census, 37 AREGs are defined to cover the whole of geographic Australia. This figure includes the 35 named ATSIC Regions, the Torres Strait Area and a region named ‘ATSIC Region Not Defined’. This latter comprises CDs in the Territories of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands and those classified as Off-Shore, Shipping & Migratory.
The AREG names used in the classification are the same as those determined for the official area by the relevant legislation. Each AREG is allocated a two-digit code starting from 01. The AREG code 99 is reserved for the ‘ATSIC Region Not Defined’.
The AREG codes are unique throughout Australia and except for the addition of the ‘ATSIC Region Not Defined’, have not changed since the previous census.
Example:
33 Apatula
34 Nhulunbuy
35 Tennant Creek
36 Darwin
99 ATSIC Region Not Defined
INDIGENOUS AREAS
General Description
An IARE is a medium sized spatial unit which enables the production of detailed census statistics relating to Indigenous people while maintaining the confidentiality of individuals. They generally include around 280 Indigenous persons and comprise one or more Indigenous Locations.
For the 2001 Census, 563 IAREs are defined. Two IAREs are defined for the Territories of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Off-Shore, Shipping & Migratory within the AREG ‘ATSIC Region Not Defined’.
IARE names and codes
The IARE name allocated by the ABS is based upon a distinctive name for the area which the boundary encompasses. Equivalent ASGC names are used where the area concords exactly. The code structure for the IAREs has been changed for this edition with a three-digit code being allocated to each IARE within a AREG. IARE codes must include the AREG code to be fully unique within the classification.
Example:
16 001 Cardwell (S)
16 005 Hinchinbrook
16 010 Palm Island
...
25 001 Port Hedland
25 005 Port Hedland (T): excl. Port Hedland
25 010 Karratha
INDIGENOUS LOCATIONS
General Description
An ILOC is an area designed to allow the production of summary census statistics, in particular those relating to Indigenous people while maintaining the confidentiality of individuals. Generally, an ILOC includes at least 50 Indigenous people and can comprise one or more CDs.
For the 2001 Census, 977 ILOCs are defined. Two ILOCs are defined for Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and the Off-Shore, Shipping & Migratory CDs within the AREG ‘ATSIC Region Not Defined’.
ILOC names and codes
The ILOC name allocated by the ABS is based upon a distinctive name for the area which the boundary encompasses. Equivalent ASGC names are used where the area concords exactly. The code structure for this edition has been changed with two-digit codes being allocated to each ILOC in an IARE beginning at 01. ILOC codes must include the IARE and AREG code to be fully unique within the classification.
Example:
23005 01 Newman
23005 03 Punmu
23005 05 Kunawarriji
23005 07 Parnngurr
23005 09 Nullagine
23005 11 East Pilbara (S) east: rem.
Please see 8. Census Geographic Area Classification Listings for a full listing of AREG, IARE and ILOC codes and names.
Maintenance
For this edition of the classification, the IAREs and ILOCs were redesigned and a new coding system used. The AIGC is only defined in the census year. Thus, any boundary changes that occur in official ATSIC Region boundaries will not be reflected until the next census. However, CD based concordances will be produced should such changes occur.
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