COUNTRY OF BIRTH OF PARENTS (AUSTRALIA/OVERSEAS)
JUSTIFICATION
Data on ethnic or cultural origin are in high demand, and this information is particularly important for population groups which are unable to be identified through the questions on Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander origin, main language other than English spoken at home, country of birth, religion or ancestry. Questions on whether a person's parents were born in Australia or overseas, in conjunction with the Ancestry question, provide this information.
There is unmet demand for specific country of birth of parents (rather than just Australia/Overseas). While the current question identifies the second generation it does not assist in assessing the size of communities.
More detailed country of birth of parents data, used in conjunction with ancestry, would provide an additional dimension to analyses as birthplace is not necessarily the ancestral homeland. This information would also assist in understanding international migration flows.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A question on country of birth of parents was first asked in 1921. The data were used to investigate the extent of the relationship between birthplace and race of persons born in Asia who were resident in Australia.
A question on country of birth of parents was not asked again until 1971 and has been asked in all subsequent Censuses until 2001. As the 2001 Census included a question on a person's ancestry, the country of birth of parents questions was replaced by a question asking whether a person's parents were born in Australia or overseas.
An Ancestry Consultative Committee was established in June 2003 to review the ancestry and country of birth of parents questions for the 2006 Census. The outcome was a recommendation that these questions be asked in a format similar to that used for the 2001 Census.
USER REQUIREMENTS
Country of birth of parents data are used:
- in planning the delivery of services to migrants
- in access and equity reviews
- in the allocation of resources/facilities that are made on a community basis
- to analyse the impact of migration flows from particular countries through to the second generation
- to analyse the socio-economic outcomes of the second generation
- in conjunction with ancestry data, to identify specific population groups which are unable to be identified through other ethnicity questions
- in conjunction with ancestry data, to assist in the understanding of international migration trends.
AVAILABILITY OF NON-CENSUS DATA
The only regular data on country of birth of parents published by the ABS are derived from birth and marriage registrations.
There has been no detailed information about actual country of birth of parents, as opposed to Australia/Overseas only, since the 1996 Census.
There is no substitute data available at the small area level or for small population groups.
POSSIBLE CHANGES FOR 2011
For the 2011 Census, users should consider any data needs for detailed information about country of birth of parents, rather than Australia/Overseas only, in conjunction with the 'Thematic Forms' proposal
2006 CENSUS QUESTIONS
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