4818.0.55.001 - Household Preparedness for Emergencies: NSW, Vic., Qld and ACT, Oct 2007 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 06/06/2008  First Issue
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EXPLANATORY NOTES


Introduction

1 This publication summarises results from the 2007 State Supplementary Survey, Household Preparedness for Emergencies, which was conducted in four jurisdictions.


Survey Sample Design

2 The survey was conducted throughout New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (Vic.), Queensland (Qld) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) during the two weeks commencing 8 October 2007. The survey was conducted as a supplement to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Monthly Population Survey (MPS). The MPS is based on a multistage area sample of private dwellings (houses, flats, etc) and a list sample of non-private dwellings (hotels, motels etc). This survey excluded non-private dwellings, see scope for further details.

3 For details of the design, scope and coverage of the MPS, readers should refer to the Information Paper: Labour Force Survey Sample Design, 2007 (cat. no. 6269.0), and any recent edition of the ABS publication Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0).


Scope

4 Information was collected by either a face-to-face or telephone interview from one responsible adult per household. Respondents answered questions on behalf of all household members. The surveys were conducted using seven-eighths of the full sample of private dwellings in NSW, Vic., Qld and ACT that were included in the MPS. The following types of persons were excluded:

  • members of the permanent defence forces;
  • certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from censuses and surveys;
  • overseas residents in Australia;
  • members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependents) stationed in Australia;
  • private dwellings containing visitors only;
  • visitors to the household; and
  • residents of non-private dwellings such as hospitals, hotels, motels and prisons.

5 The survey was conducted in both urban and rural areas throughout NSW, Vic., Qld and ACT, but excluded persons living in very remote areas who would otherwise have been within the scope of the survey. The exclusion of these persons had only a minor impact on any aggregate estimates.


Coverage

6 Coverage rules were applied to ensure that each person was associated with only one dwelling, and hence had only one chance of selection in the survey.

7 Information was sought from approximately 18,600 households in NSW, Vic., Qld and ACT. Of these households, approximately 17,300 (93%) responded.


Reference period

8 The reference period for all tables is October 2007. Several data items collected in the survey have more specific reference periods. e.g. Whether household experienced any emergencies in the last 2 years; Whether smoke alarms or detectors manually tested in the last 12 months; Whether a household member has obtained or renewed a first aid qualification in the last 3 years. For households that have been living in a current dwelling for a shorter period, these data items relate to the number of months the household has been living their dwelling.


Effects of rounding

9 Estimates have been rounded, and discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.


Acknowledgement

10 ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated. Without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.