INDIGENOUS STRUCTURE
PURPOSE
The Indigenous Structure provides a geographical standard for the publication of statistics about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia and replaces the Australian Indigenous Geography Classification (AIGC).
The ABS is committed to improving the quality and comprehensiveness of data available about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Quality data helps to accurately measure and monitor progress against targets to help close the gap in Indigenous disadvantage. The release of an improved Indigenous specific geography will enhance the quality and scope of information about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.
STRUCTURE
The new Indigenous Structure is similar to the AIGC in that it comprises 3 levels of geographic units in a single hierarchy. However, due to the introduction of the ASGS there is a significant difference in the building blocks that form the basis of this geography. The Indigenous Structure is built directly from Statistical Areas Level 1 (SA1s). Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) are formed by aggregating one or more SA1s. These in turn aggregate to form Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which aggregate to form Indigenous Regions (IREGs).
At each level of the hierarchical structure, the component spatial units collectively cover the whole of geographic Australia without gaps or overlaps.
METHODOLOGY
The boundaries and census statistics produced for the Indigenous Structure are constructed from SA1s. SA1s were developed with a number of indigenous specific design considerations that enable them to be a highly effective building block for the Indigenous Structure.
There has been a considerable effort to improve the spatial accuracy of the mapping representing discrete indigenous communities, particularly in remote areas. This flows through into the spatial accuracy of the SA1 boundaries representing these communities. This will facilitate improved enumeration and output of census data and enable more effective spatial comparison with sources such as satellite imagery.
SA1s separately identify discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with approximate populations of over 90. SA1s are designed to combine related populations and this includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. Resources such as language groups, information from persons with local knowledge of certain communities, and transport networks have all been used to maximise the extent to which SA1s contain interrelated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.
In some cases discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that are too small to be identified separately have been combined with other nearby and associated communities, to create a non-contiguous Indigenous SA1 with a population of over 90. This enables the release of census data on a population completely within discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Further information on SA1s can be found in the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 1 - Main Structure and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, July 2011 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.001).
Indigenous Locations, Areas and Regions have been significantly redesigned since the 2006 Census. The codes used for the 2011 Census may not match those used in the 2006 Census. Correspondences enabling translation of data from AIGC to the Indigenous Structure of the ASGS will be developed and made available.
Print Page
Print All