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Two persons of the same sex who report a de facto partnership in the relationship question and are usually resident in the same household.

See also Married - De facto, Relationship in Household (RLHP).


Sample Files

The 1996 Census Household Sample File (HSF) is a comprehensive unit record database of census characteristics, containing a random sample of private households and associated persons and persons in non-private dwellings. It was designed and produced after consultation with major clients of this file. The structure of the file is similar to that of the 1991 HSF, though it has been modified according to users' requirements where possible.

As an indication of the nature of this file, the 1991 HSF contained a 1% sample of private households and associated persons and a 1% sample of persons in non-private dwellings. Most of the classificatory details available from the Census were available on the HSF, though some fields, such as birthplace, industry, occupation and qualification were collapsed to less detailed levels.

See also Client Services.


School

See Full/Part-Time Student (STUP), Qualifications, Type of Educational Institution Attending (TYPP).


School Leavers

See Age Left School (ALSP), Qualifications.


Scope and Coverage

The 1996 Census of Population and Housing aims to count every person who spent census night, 6 August 1996, in Australia. This includes Australian residents in Antarctica and people in the territories of Jervis Bay, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island. The other Australian External Territories, Norfolk Island and minor islands such as Heard and McDonald Islands, are outside the scope of the Australian Census. The only groups of people who spend census night in Australia but are excluded from the Census are foreign diplomats and their families, and foreign crew members on ships.

The Census includes people on vessels in or between Australian ports, on board long distance trains, buses or aircraft and on oil or gas rigs off the Australian coast. People entering Australia before midnight on census night are counted while people leaving an Australian port for an overseas destination before midnight on census night are not. Visitors to Australia are included regardless of how long they have been in the country or how long they plan to stay. However, for people who will be in Australia less than six months only basic demographic data are available.

All private dwellings, except diplomatic dwellings, are included in the Census, whether occupied or unoccupied. Caravans in caravan parks, manufactured homes in manufactured home estates and self-care units in accommodation for the retired or aged are counted only if occupied. Occupied non-private dwellings, such as hospitals, prisons, hotels, etc. are also included.

See also Census Count Place of Enumeration, Census Count Place of Usual Residence, Other Territories, Overseas Visitor.


SD

See Statistical Division.


SDist

See Statistical District.


Second release data

Second release data are the second part of a two-phase processing, output and dissemination strategy for the 1996 Census. Variables available for the second release are:

	Household/Dwelling Characteristics
	CPAD	Count of Persons Temporarily Absent from Household
	HHTD	Household Type
	Family Characteristics
	CDCAF	Count of Dependent Children Under 15 Temporarily Absent
	CDSAF	Count of Dependent Students (15-24) Temporarily Absent
	CNDAF	Count of Non-Dependent Children Temporarily Absent
	FMTF	Family Type
	FNOF	Family Number
	FRLF	Relationship Between Families
	SPLF	Location of Spouse
	Person Characteristics
	CTPP	Child Type
	DZNP	Work Destination Zone
	DZSP	Work Destination Area
	ENGP01	Proficiency in English/language
	GNGP	Industry Sector
	HRSP	Hours Worked
	INDP	Industry of Employment
	LFSP	Labour Force Status/Status in Employment
	OCCP	Occupation
	POCUCP	Postcode of Usual Address Census Night
	QALFP	Post-School Educational Qualification: Field of Study
	QALLP	Post-School Educational Qualification: Level of Attainment
	QALYP	Post-School Educational Qualification: Year Completed
	RLHP	Relationship in Household
	RPIP	Family/Household Reference Person Indicator
	SLAU1P	SLA of Usual Residence 1 Year Ago
	SLAU5P	SLA of Usual Residence 5 Years Ago
	STEU1P	State of Usual Residence One Year Ago
	STEU5P	State of Usual Residence Five Years Ago
	TPTP	Method of Travel to Work
	UAI1P	Usual Address 1 Year Ago Indicator
	UAI5P	Usual Address 5 Years Ago Indicator

If more than one family are living in a dwelling, they are categorised as Primary, Second or Third families. For the 1991 Census, the term Other Families was used.

See also Family, Relationship Between Families (FRLF).


Section of State

Within a State or Territory, each Section of State represents an aggregation of non-contiguous geographic areas of a particular urban type, with the rural balance constituting another Section of State.

The Sections of State within each State and Territory are:

• Major urban - All urban centres with a population of 100,000 and over;

• Other urban - All urban centres with a population of 1,000 to 99,999;

• Locality - All population clusters of 200 to 999 people;

• Rural balance - the rural remainder of the State/Territory; and

• Off-Shore, shipping and migratory CDs - people who are enumerated on off-shore oil rigs, drilling platforms and the like, aboard ship in Australian waters, or on an overnight journey by train or bus. There is one such category for each State and the Northern Territory. Note that this category is included in the Section of State classification only for the Census of Population and Housing. Australians in Antarctica are within the scope of the Census and are coded to a special Off-shore Collection District (CD) in Tasmania.

See Employer, Labour Force, Labour Force Status/Status in Employment (LFSP), Own Account Worker.


Self-Enumeration

Self-enumeration is the term used to describe the way the Australian Census of Population and Housing data are collected. The census forms are generally completed by the householders or individuals (in non-private dwellings) rather than by census interviewers.

Some householders require assistance to complete the forms. The Census Hotline is set up to answer people's questions. Collectors can also provide assistance where necessary. Special measures are taken to overcome language and cultural barriers. These include: the provision of a Telephone Interpreter Service, liaison with ethnic groups to provide information about and assistance with the census form, publicity material targeted at certain groups, and recruiting Indigenous assistants to help with enumerating Indigenous households.

In discrete communities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the Census is generally conducted by interview, not self-enumeration, with Indigenous interviewers using a specially designed form.

Self-enumeration has some deficiencies in the reliability of the information collected. For example, there is a higher probability that questions will be misunderstood than if an interview method is used and census collectors are not in a position to clarify/probe doubtful answers. However, self-enumeration does avoid interviewer bias and is considered to be the most cost-efficient method (in terms of available resources) of collecting information from the very large number of respondents involved in the Census.


Semi-detached House

See Dwelling Structure (STRD).


Separate house

See Dwelling Structure (STRD).


Sex (SEXP)

This variable records the sex of each person enumerated in the Census as male or female.


Shapes Output Spatial Database (SOSD)

The SOSD contains only digital boundaries, i.e. no base map data are included. The boundaries in this database are further filtered versions of the boundaries contained in the Reduced Output Spatial Database. These boundaries are only crude representations of the actual boundaries and should only be used where accurate boundary detail is not a major consideration, such as in broad level thematic mapping.

These 'Shapes Boundaries' are primarily intended for use in the mapping modules included in spreadsheet packages such as Excel 95 and Lotus 1-2-3.

See also Output Spatial Database, Reduced Output Spatial Database, Digital Boundaries.


Shift Workers

Shift workers who worked the night shift on census night and went home when their shift was finished, are counted at their usual residence.

See also Temporarily Absent.


Shipping Collection District

See Section of State, Dwelling Type (DWTD) .


Ships in or Between Australian Ports

See Section of State, Dwelling Type (DWTD).


SLA

See Local Government Area (LGA).


Single Parent

See Lone Parent.


SLA

See Statistical Local Area.


SLA maps

See Reference Maps.


SLA of Usual Residence Census Night (SLAUCP)

See Usual Residence.


SLA of Usual Residence 1 Year Ago (SLAU1P)

See Usual Residence.


SLA of Usual Residence 5 Years Ago (SLAU5P)

See Usual Residence.


Sleepers-out

See Dwelling Structure (STRD).


Small Area Data

See Collection District, Statistical Local Area, Postcode.


Social Atlas Series

These publications are available separately for each Capital City and Major Urban Area. They provide informative and interesting social profiles of characteristics of the population of the city or area as measured at the Census. They present a broad selection of mapped data supported by some analytical text. The atlases present only a subset of the available census information.

See also Digital Base Map Data.


Social Marital Status (MDCP)

In contrast to the 1991 Census, this variable is now a person variable and is derived from Relationship in Household (RLHP). Social Marital Status (MDCP) now shows a persons 'social' marital status and is applicable to all persons aged 15 years and over.

Social marital status is the relationship status of an individual with reference to another person who is usually resident in the household. A marriage exists when two people live together as husband and wife, or partners, regardless of whether the marriage is formalised through registration. Individuals are, therefore, regarded as married if they are in a de facto marriage, or if they are living with the person to whom they are registered as married.

Where information about same-sex couples is volunteered in the relationship question (Question 5), it is included in the family coding and classified as a partner in a de facto marriage. (See Relationship in Household (RLHP)).

The categories included in this classification are:

• Married in a registered marriage;

• Married in a de facto marriage;

• Not married;

• Not applicable; and

• Overseas visitor.

See Income (INCP).


Sole Parent

See Lone Parent.


SOS

See Section of State.


Spatial data

See Digital Spatial Data.


Special Data Sevices

See ABS Client Services.


Spouse

See Partner.


SR

See Statistical Region.


SSC

See State Suburb.


SSD

See Statistical Subdivision.


State (STE)

ASGC State Code. See Statistical Geography - Volume 1: Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0).

Note that the territories of Jervis Bay, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands form a ninth 'State'.


State Comparisons

See Classification Counts.


State Electoral Division (SED)

See Electoral Division.


State Suburb (SSC)

This is a census-specific area where Collection Districts are aggregated to approximate suburbs. It is applicable only to Adelaide, Perth and major towns in Tasmania. For a list of State Suburbs, see Statistical Geography - Volume 2: Information Paper - Census Geographic Areas, Australia (Cat. no. 2905.0).

Note that suburbs in Brisbane and other major urban areas in Queensland, Darwin and Canberra are defined in the ASGC as Statistical Local Areas. For a list of these, see Statistical Geography - Volume 1: Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0).


State of Usual Residence Census Night (STEUCP)

See Usual Residence.


State of Usual Residence Five Years Ago (STEU1P)

See Usual Residence.


State of Usual Residence One Year Ago (STEU5P)

See Usual Residence.


Statistical District (SDist)

A Statistical District (SDist) is an Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) defined area which consists of one or more Statistical Subdivisions (SSDs) and represents a large urban area of Australia outside State capital city statistical divisions (SDs).

Statistical Districts can, and in three cases do, straddle Statistical Division and State/Territory boundaries. The Gold CoastTweed SDist encompasses an urban area which lies partly in the State of Queensland and partly in the State of New South Wales. The Albury/Wodonga SDist straddles the New South Wales/Victorian border. The Canberra/Queanbeyan SDist is partly in New South Wales and partly in the Australian Capital Territory.

For a list of Statistical Districts, and the Statistical Subdivisions which comprise them, refer to Statistical Geography - Volume 1: Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0). For maps of these areas contact Client Services.


Statistical Division (SD)

Statistical Divisions (SDs) are areas defined in the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) which consist of one or more Statistical Subdivisions (SSDs) and cover, in aggregate, the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps. They do not cross State or Territory boundaries and are the largest statistical area building blocks of States and Territories.

SDs are used as large, general purpose regional type geographic areas. They represent relatively homogeneous regions characterised by identifiable social and economic links between the inhabitants and between the economic units within the region, under the unifying influence of one or more major towns or cities.

In New South Wales, proclaimed New South Wales Government Regions coincide with SDs except for North Coast, which consists of the SDs of Richmond-Tweed and Mid-North Coast.

In Victoria, the SDs correspond with the State Planning Regions adopted by the Victorian Government in October 1981 except in the Port Phillip Region and, because of consequential effects, the Central Highlands and Loddon-Campaspe Regions. The Victorian Government's Port Phillip Region comprises the Melbourne SD, the Shires of Bass and Phillip Island, the remaining part of the Shire of Upper Yarra, the Borough of Wonthaggi and French Island all of which are in the Gippsland SD, and the Shires of Bacchus Marsh and Gisborne which are in the Central Highlands and Loddon-Campaspe SDs, respectively.

In South Australia and Western Australia, SDs and SSDs are based on the State government defined planning regions.

In the remaining States and Territories, SDs are designed in line with the ASGC general purpose regional spatial unit definition.

For more information and a list of the Statistical Divisions in each State, refer to Statistical Geography - Volume 1: Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0). Maps are available from Client Services.


Statistical Geography

See Census Geographic Areas.


Statistical Local Area (SLA)

Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) are areas defined in the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) which consist of one or more Collection Districts (CDs). They can be based on Legal Local Government Areas (Legal LGAs), or parts thereof, or any unincorporated area. They cover, in aggregate, the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps.

Variables at the person level available for SLAs are: SLA of Usual Residence (SLAUCP), SLA of Usual Residence One Year Ago (SLAU1P), and SLA of Usual Residence Five Years Ago (SLAU5P).

For more information and a list of the Statistical Local Areas in each State, refer to Statistical Geography - Volume 1: Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0). Maps are available from Client Services.


Statistical Region (SR)

Statistical Regions (SRs) are areas defined in the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) consisting of one or more Statistical Local Areas (SLAs). SRs cover, in aggregate, the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps.

They were designed primarily as geographic areas containing sufficient population to be suitable for the presentation of both population census and labour force statistics within the frameworks for standard statistical outputs from these collections.

For more information and a list of the Statistical Regions in each State, refer to Statistical Geography - Volume 1: Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0). Maps are available from Client Services.


Statistical Subdivision (SSD)

Statistical Subdivisions (SSDs) are areas defined in the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) and consist of one or more Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) and cover, in aggregate, the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps. They are used as an intermediate level, general purpose, regional type geographic unit.

For more information and a list of the Statistical Subdivisions in each State, refer to Statistical Geography - Volume 1: Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0). Maps are available from Client Services.


Status In Employment

See Labour force status/Status In Employment (LFSP).


STE

See State.


Step child

A natural/adopted child of only one partner in a marriage or de facto relationship, within the primary family, is classified as a stepchild of that family.

See also Child, Child Type (CTPP), Relationship in Household (RLHP).


Student

See Dependent Student (15-24), Full/Part-time Student (STUP).


Subdivision

See Census Subdivision, Statistical subdivision.


Suburb

See State Suburb.