2975.0.55.009 - 1996 Census of Population and Housing - Fact Sheet 09: Usual Residence Indicator, 1996  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 08/09/1999   
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1996 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING
FACT SHEET 9
USUAL RESIDENCE INDICATOR


USUAL RESIDENCE

The census has three questions on usual residence - usual residence on: census night (1996), one year ago (1995) and five years ago (1991). For each of these questions, a number of variables are coded:

    • Usual residence indicator census night (UAICP) (Enumerated at home, Elsewhere in Australia, Overseas visitor)
    • SLA of usual residence census night (SLAUCP)
    • State of usual residence census night (STEUCP)
    • Usual residence indicator 1 year ago (UAI1P) (Same as 1996, Elsewhere in Australia, Overseas in 1995, Overseas visitor)
    • SLA of usual residence 1 year ago (SLAU1P) (not available in 1991)
    • State of usual residence 1 year ago (STEU1P)
    • Usual residence indicator 5 years ago (UAI5P) (Same as 1996, Same as 1995, Elsewhere in Australia, Overseas in 1991, Overseas visitor)
    • SLA of usual residence 5 years ago (SLAU5P)
    • State of usual residence 5 years ago (STEU5P)
Errors in Usual Residence Indicator

Analysis of these variables has shown a problem with the variables Usual Residence Indicator 1 year ago (UAI1P) and Usual Residence Indicator 5 years ago (UAI5P). The other variables - including Usual Residence on Census night and all State and SLA usual residence variables - are not affected by the error.

Source of the problem:

As a way to reduce respondent workload the 1996 form included, in questions 7 and 8, the option for people to mark "Same as Person 1" and, in question 9, the option to mark "Same as Person 1" or "Same as in Q.8". The processing system captured the information as marked on the form and then, if applicable, copied the State and SLA codes from Person 1. However, the processing system did not adequately deal with these options and this has resulted in some cases where the State and SLA variables are inconsistent with the Usual Residence Indicator.

For example

      Person 1
      Person 2
      7 What is the person's usual address?
    • 'Usual' address is that address at which the person has lived or intends to live for a total of 6 months or more in 1996.
    • For persons who have no usual address, write 'no usual address'.
    • For boarders at boarding school or college, give address at boarding school or college.
      [X] The address shown on the front of this form

      [ ] Elsewhere in Australia - please specify address

      Street number and name
      ...........................................

      Suburb, town or locality
      ...........................................

      State Postcode
      ...........................................

      [ ] Other country
      [X] Same as for Person 1

      [ ] Elsewhere in Australia - please specify address

      Street number and name
      ...........................................

      Suburb, town or locality
      ...........................................

      State Postcode
      ..........................................

      [ ] Other country
      8 Where was each person's usual
      address one year ago (at 6 August 1995)?
    • If the person is less than one year old, leave blank.
    • For persons who had no usual address on 6 August1995, give the address at which they were then living.
      [X] Same as in question 7
      [ ] Elsewhere in Australia - please specify address

      Street number and name
      ...........................................

      Suburb, town or locality
      ...........................................

      State Postcode
      ...........................................

      [ ] Other country
      [ ] Same as for Person 1
      [ X] Elsewhere in Australia - please specify address

      Street number and name
      1 Two Street

      Suburb, town or locality
      Brookfield

      State Postcode
      Qld 1212

      [ ] Other country
      9 Where was each person's usual address five years ago (at 6 August 1991)?
    • If the person is less than five years old, leave blank.
    • For persons who had no usual addresson 6 August1991, give the address at which they were then living.
      [ ] Same as in question 7
      [X] Same as in question 8
      [ ] Elsewhere in Australia - please specify address

      No. and street
      ...........................................

      Suburb, town or locality
      ...........................................

      State Postcode
      ...........................................

      [ ] Other country
      [X ] Same as for Person 1
      [ ] Same as in question 8
      [ ] Elsewhere in Australia - please specify address

      No. and street
      ...........................................

      Suburb, town or locality
      ...........................................

      State Postcode
      ...........................................

      [ ] Other country

Person 1
Their response to Question 8 was 'same as Q7' which, for this example, is Tweed (A) - Pt A, NSW.
Their response to Question 9 was 'same as Q8' (ie Tweed - Pt A).

Person 2
Their response for Question 8 was 'Brookfield, Qld'.
Their response for Question 9 was 'same as for Person1' (ie. they were in NSW/Tweed)


These responses would be coded as follows:
    Person 1
    Person 2
    1 year ago (1995)
    Indicator
    Same as Usual address
    Elsewhere
    State/SLA
    NSW/Tweed
    Qld/Brookfield
    5 years ago (1991)
    Indicator
    Same as 1995
    Same as 1995 (ie. QLD)
    State/SLA
    NSW/Tweed
    NSW/Tweed

Thus, for Person 2, the indicator for usual residence 5 years ago (1991) is 'Same as 1995' but the State and SLA for 1991 are different to those for 1995.


Extent of the Problem:
The error is limited to the fields UAI1P and UAI5P. The following tables provide numbers and percentages of records effected for each combination, by State.

Condition 1:
Usual residence 1yr ago = same as census night, but State/SLA 1yr ago ^= State/SLA of census night (UAI1P=Same as in 1996 but SLAUCP ^=SLAU1P)


    STEUCP
No. of records where
condition 1 applies
No. of records where
UAI1P=Same as in 1996
Percentage
    New South Wales
12165
4690242
0.26
    Victoria
9947
3547723
0.28
    Queensland
7710
2374210
0.32
    South Australia
3237
1153413
0.28
    Western Australia
3979
1276244
0.31
    Tasmania
1160
361371
0.32
    Northern Territory
456
116866
0.39
    Australian Capital Territory
800
225415
0.35
    Other Territories
0
2213
0.00
    TOTAL AUSTRALIA
39454
13747697
0.29


Condition 2:
Usual residence 5yrs ago = same as census night, but State/SLA 5yrs ago ^= State/SLA of census night
(UAI5P=Same as in 1996 but SLAUCP ^=SLAU5P)


    STEUCP
No. of records where
condition 2 applies
No. of records where
UAI5P=Same as in 1996
Percentage
    New South Wales
10173
3049890
0.33
    Victoria
8238
2377366
0.35
    Queensland
5850
1340901
0.44
    South Australia
2472
755968
0.33
    Western Australia
2850
734422
0.39
    Tasmania
899
231036
0.39
    Northern Territory
367
67841
0.54
    Australian Capital Territory
673
133808
0.50
    Other Territories
4
1394
0.29
    TOTAL AUSTRALIA
31526
8692626
0.36

Condition 3:
Usual residence 5yrs ago = same as 1yr ago, but State/SLA 5yrs ago ^= State/SLA 1yr ago
(UAI5P=Same as 1 year ago but SLAU1P^=SLAU5P)
    STEUCP
No. of records where
condition 3 applies
No. of records where
UAI5P=Same as 1 year ago
Percentage
    New South Wales
15
302899
0.00
    Victoria
21
218876
0.01
    Queensland
13
155608
0.01
    South Australia
15
74240
0.02
    Western Australia
0
83082
0.00
    Tasmania
73
28111
0.26
    Northern Territory
30
8561
0.35
    Australian Capital Territory
49
15992
0.31
    Other Territories
0
111
0.00
    Overseas
7
21338
0.03
    Not stated
29
6561
0.44
    Overseas visitor
0
0
0.00
    Not applicable
0
0
0.00
    TOTAL AUSTRALIA
252
915369
0.03