EXPLANATORY NOTES
INTRODUCTION
1 This quarterly publication contains data from both ABS and non-ABS sources. The ABS publications referenced within the publication, as well as the websites of non-ABS organisations, can be found listed below. For further information, users are directed to these references.
AIR QUALITY
2 The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) reports air quality as an index for any given pollutant as its concentration expressed as a percentage of the relevant standard. It enables easy interpretation of whether the pollutant is at a level which may cause harm. An index value of 100 means the pollutant is currently at a concentration equal to the National Environment Protection Measure (Air NEPM) or State Environment Protection Policy (The Air Environment) (SEPP) standard levels (levels designed to protect human health and the environment). Indexes are calculated separately for each measured pollutant: Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Fine Particulates (PM10), Visibility (Airborne Particle Index). For each station, the daily pollutant indexes are the maximum index values for that day. Note that not all pollutants are measured at each station. The EPA also calculates an overall Air Quality Index, which amalgamates each pollutant index into an overall measure of air quality at each station.
3 The air quality data have been provided for the Ozone and Visibility (or Airborne Particle) Indexes as these are the dominant pollutants and are widely measured across the EPA network. It should also be noted that meteorological conditions are a major determinant on the incidence of elevated pollutant levels. Hence significant daily, seasonal and annual variations can be expected in air quality. For more information on air quality, see the EPA web site, <http://www.epa.vic.gov.au>.
4 The air quality index is converted into a qualitative scale with five commonly understood terms. Very good (0-33), Good (34-66) and Fair (67-99) represent measurements within the standards, while Poor (100-149) and Very poor (150+) represent measurements exceeding the standards.
5 For air quality reporting purposes the Port Phillip Region (PPR) has been divided into 4 regions: East, West, City and Geelong. Air monitoring stations assigned to each region are: East - Alphington, Brighton, Box Hill, Dandenong, Mooroolbark; City - RMIT, Richmond; West - Footscray, Melton, Point Cook, Paisley; Geelong - Point Henry, Geelong South. In addition, the Latrobe Valley has stations at Moe and Traralgon. The regional index is considered to be the maximum of the station indexes calculated within each particular region. The daily index reported for a region is the maximum region index recorded each day.
MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN AREA
6 Most of the small area data provided by non-ABS organisations are aggregates at Local Government Area (LGA) level. With one exception, LGAs do not cross Statistical Division (SD) boundaries, and therefore it is generally possible to form SD data from aggregate LGA data. However, while the majority of the Yarra Ranges (S) LGA is in the Melbourne SD, the Yarra Ranges (S) - Pt B SLA is in the Gippsland SD. As a result, it is not possible to derive exact data for Melbourne and Gippsland SDs.
7 Where necessary, the Yarra Ranges (S) LGA as a whole is included with the LGAs in Melbourne SD to form a region referred to as the Melbourne Metropolitan Area (MMA). Consequently, in these instances Gippsland SD excludes Yarra Ranges (S) - Pt B SLA.
8 As an indication of the relative size of Yarra Ranges (S) - Pt B SLA, at 30 June 2008 it had a preliminary Estimated Resident Population (ERP) of 612 persons. At the same date, the total ERP of Yarra Ranges (S) LGA was 146,886, while Gippsland SD had a total ERP of 170,779.
GEOGRAPHY AND MAPS
9 Maps of SLAs and SDs within Victoria can be found in Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (cat. no. 1216.0) on the Downloads page (1216.0 - 2009 ASGC - Victorian Maps). A listing of SLAs within each LGA (Local Government Areas and Statistical Local Areas - Alphabetic) can be accessed from the same page, along with listings of SLAs within each SD (Main Structure - Detailed) and Statistical Region (SR) (Statistical Region Structure - Detailed).
10 Unless otherwise indicated, boundaries of LGAs, SDs and SRs referred to in this publication are consistent with those in the 2009 Edition of the ASGC. The most recent change to an LGA boundary in Victoria was effective from 1 July 2008 and involved Melbourne (C) gaining 111.8 hectares (and 5,712 persons based on preliminary ERP at 30 June 2008) from Moonee Valley (C).
11 SRs used in the Labour Force Survey (LFS) are revised at the time of the labour force sample redesign following each Census of Population and Housing and remain stable until the next labour force sample redesign. Consequently, the LGA boundary change between Melbourne (C) and Moonee Valley (C) is not reflected in LFS data. For further information on LFS data at regional level, please see Information Paper: Regional Labour Force Statistics (cat. no. 6262.0). Maps of SRs used in the LFS can be found in Australian Labour Market Statistics, Jul 2009 (cat. no. 6105.0) on the Downloads page (6105.0 - Labour Force Region Maps - Victoria - 2007).
12 Tourism Regions are defined by relevant state/territory tourism organisations and represent groups of SLAs. Each year, any changes to Tourism Regions (including SLA boundary changes incorporated in the current edition of the ASGC) are applied from the first reference period of the Survey of Tourist Accommodation in the following calendar year (i.e. the March quarter). For a map of Victorian Tourism Regions, and a listing of SLAs within each Tourism Region, please see Tourism Region Maps and Concordance Files, Australia (cat. no. 9503.0.55.001).
ABS PUBLICATIONS
13 The following ABS publications are referenced in this release of State and Regional Indicators, Victoria:
- Retail Trade, Australia (cat. no. 8501.0)
- Labour Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6345.0)
- Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia (cat. no. 9314.0)
- Australian Demographic Statistics (cat. no. 3101.0)
- Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0)
- Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001)
- Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003)
- Average Weekly Earnings, Australia (cat. no. 6302.0)
- Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product (cat. no. 5206.0)
- Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6401.0)
- House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities (cat. no. 6416.0)
- Building Activity, Australia (cat. no. 8752.0)
- Building Approvals, Australia (cat. no. 8731.0)
- Engineering Construction Activity, Australia (cat. no. 8762.0)
- Tourist Accommodation, Small Area Data, Victoria (cat. no. 8635.2.55.001)
- Livestock Products, Australia (cat. no. 7215.0)
- Livestock and Meat, Australia (cat. no. 7218.0.55.001)
- International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia (cat. no. 5368.0)
NON-ABS WEBSITES
14 The websites of the following organisations may provide further information on some of the data provided in this release of
State and Regional Indicators, Victoria:
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