• Summary
• Downloads
• Explanatory Notes
• Related Information
• Past Releases

Definitions and References

Affordability index

the ratio of average household income to the average income needed to meet the repayments for an average established dwelling purchased by a first home buyer. A value of 100 indicates that a household with average income would meet the average income requirements to service the average mortgage. An increase in the index represents an improvement in affordability.
Reference: Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the Housing Industry Association, Housing Report.

all approved structural and non-structural changes which are integral to the functional and structural design of the dwelling, e.g. garages, carports, pergolas, reroofing, recladding etc., but excluding swimming pools, ongoing repairs, landscaping, and maintenance and home improvements not involving building work.
Reference: Housing Finance for Owner Occupation, Australia (cat. no. 5609.0).

the number of public rental applicants accommodated in a year.
Reference: Department of Family and Community Services, Housing Assistance Act 1996 Annual Report. For data after 1998 Steering Committee for the Review of Commonwealth/State Service Provision (SCRCSSP) 2000, Report on Government Services 2000, Ausinfo, Canberra.

the number of applicants (households) waiting for public rental accommodation on 30 June.
Reference: Department of Family and Community Services, Housing Assistance Act 1996 Annual Report. For data after 1998, SCRCSSP.

the average number of bedrooms in occupied private dwellings.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1991 Census of Population and Housing; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

the average number of usual residents in occupied private dwellings.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1991 Census of Population and Housing; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

the total weekly ordinary time (before tax) earnings of full-time adult employees divided by the total number of full-time adult employees and expressed as an index, with base year 1989–90=100.
Reference: Average Weekly Earnings, States and Australia (cat. no. 6302.0).

the price of detached residential dwellings on their own block of land, regardless of age (i.e. including new houses sold as a house/land package as well as second-hand houses) expressed as an index, with base year 1989–90=100. Price changes therefore relate to changes in the total price of dwelling and land.
Reference: House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities (cat. no. 6416.0).

first home buyers are persons entering the home ownership market for the first time. Their average loan is calculated by dividing the total value of lending commitments per month by the total number of dwellings financed per month.
Reference: Housing Finance for Owner Occupation, Australia (cat. no. 5609.0).

firm offers to provide finance for owner-occupation or alterations and additions which have been, or are normally expected to be, accepted. Commitments to provide housing finance to employees and commitments accepted and cancelled in the same month are included. Owner-occupied dwellings being purchased can be either established (completed for more than 12 months or previously occupied) or new (completed for less than 12 months with the borrower being the first occupant).
Reference: Housing Finance for Owner Occupation, Australia (cat. no. 5609.0).

Includes all self-contained dwellings in blocks of flats, units or apartments. These dwellings do not have their own private grounds and usually share a common entrance foyer or stairwell. This category includes houses converted into flats and flats attached to houses such as granny flats. A house with a granny flat attached is regarded as a separate house.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

the average rent of government authority dwellings, including Defence Housing Authority, in metropolitan areas expressed as an index, with base year 1989–90=100.
Reference: Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat.no. 6401.0).

a person living alone or a group of related or unrelated people who usually reside and eat together.

the financial year annual average of the interest rate applicable on the last working day of each month to standard variable rate loans for owner-occupation extended by large bank housing lenders. It is the predominant or representative rate of major banks, although some banks may quote higher or lower rates.
Reference: Reserve Bank of Australia, Bulletin.

prices of selected materials used in the construction of dwellings expressed as an index, with base year 1989–90=100. Data for national total is a weighted average of the six state capital cities.
Reference: Price Index of Materials Used in House Building, Six State Capital Cities (cat. no. 6408.0).

the average weekly rent paid by renters of public/private dwellings.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

the premises occupied by a household. For population estimation purposes, the total number of occupied private dwellings is treated as being equal to the total number of households of the usually resident population.
Reference: Australian Demographic Statistics (cat. no. 3101.0).

a household where the reference person or partner owes an amount on a mortgage or loan secured against the dwelling. Includes persons who have an outstanding mortgage amount but who are not making any payments. Prior to 1995 known as 'being purchased', and excluded dwellings with mortgages for alteration/addition or other purposes.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

a household where the reference person or partner does not owe any amount on a mortgage or loan secured against the dwelling. Includes persons who have repaid a mortgage or loan but have not formally discharged the associated mortgage. Prior to 1995 known as 'owned', and included dwellings whose only mortgage was for alteration/addition or other purposes.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

persons on low incomes who pay rent or similar payments for private accommodation and receive a rental assistance payment from the government. Rent assistance may be payable to pensioners without children, families receiving above the minimum family payment and people already receiving a government allowance or benefit.
Reference: Unpublished data from Centrelink.

when building activity has progressed to the stage where the building can fulfil its intended function. The ABS regards buildings as completed when notified as such by the respondents (builders) to the survey.
Reference: Building Activity, Australia (cat. no. 8752.0).

a household paying rent to a landlord who is a real estate agent, a parent or other relative not in the same household or another person not in the same household, to reside in the dwelling.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

the average rent of privately-owned dwellings (rented through real estate agents in each capital city) expressed as an index, with base year 1989–90=100.
Reference: Consumer Price Index (cat. no. 6401.0).

the price of dwellings available for construction on a client's block of land expressed as an index, with base year 1989–90=100. Price changes therefore relate only to the price of the dwelling (excluding land).
Reference: House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities (cat. no. 6416.0).

those rental dwellings held by State and Territory housing authorities.
Reference: Department of Family and Community Services, Housing Assistance Act 1996 Annual Report. For data after 1998 Steering Committee for the Review of Commonwealth/State Service Provision (SCRCSSP) 2000, Report on Government Services 2000, Ausinfo, Canberra.

occupied private dwellings with their own private grounds and no dwelling above or below. A key feature is that they are attached in some structural way to one or more dwellings, or separated from neighbouring dwellings by less than half a metre.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

occupied private dwellings which are self-contained and separated from other structures by a space of at least half a metre to allow access on all sides. Includes houses with an attached flat.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.

average floor area of houses intended for private/public ownership at building approval.
Reference: ABSDB (database), Building Approvals Dataset: New houses by SLA, Materials and Floor Area.

a household paying rent to a State or Territory housing authority or trust to reside in the dwelling.
Reference: Income and Housing Surveys; 1992 Family Survey; 1994 Australian Housing Survey; and Surveys of Income and Housing Costs.