SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS


AGE AND SEX

People aged 40–49 years were most likely to have been identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin on both their Census and death registration record (75%). People aged 70 years and over had the lowest rate of consistent identification of all age groups (50%). They were also the most likely to have been recorded as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person on their death registration record only (22%). A considerable proportion of elderly people with a linked record (36%) were residing in a non-private dwelling such as a hospital or nursing home at the time of the Census. Indigenous status information collected in such institutions may be inaccurate or incomplete, because this information is often filled in on the resident's behalf by a staff member. The Dwelling type section presents more detailed information about this.

Females had a slightly higher rate of consistent reporting than males (64% compared with 61%). However, this was not the case for females aged under 30 years. Overall, females were less likely than males to have been identified as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person on their Census record only (21% compared with 27%).


REMOTENESS AREA OF USUAL RESIDENCE

Consistent identification in the Census and on the death registration record became more common with increasing remoteness, being lowest in Major Cities (44%) and highest in Remote areas (92%). People from non-remote areas were more likely than those in remote areas to have reported being an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person on their Census record only (31% compared with 3%). The largest increases in the number of people identifying as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin between the 2006 and 2011 Censuses were recorded in non-remote areas, with only small increases recorded in remote areas (for more information see Census of Population and Housing: Understanding the Increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Counts, 2006–2011, cat. no. 2077.0).



Consistent reporting of Indigenous status followed the same pattern by remoteness within different age groups. While detailed information on this cannot be published in order to ensure confidentiality, it is possible to provide some aggregated information. Among people aged 50 years and over, those from remote areas were more likely than those from non-remote areas to have identified consistently (93% compared with 51%). This was also the case among those aged under 50 years (91% compared with 62%).


STATE AND TERRITORY OF USUAL RESIDENCE

The highest rate of consistent reporting was in the Northern Territory (95%), a pattern associated with people from remote areas being more likely to have been identified consistently than people from non-remote areas. The next highest rates of consistent reporting were in Western Australia (78%), Queensland (65%) and South Australia (64%). All these states had rates of consistent identification that were higher than the national average of 62%. Victoria and New South Wales had the lowest rates of consistent reporting (29% and 53% respectively). Identification as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person on the Census record only was most common in Victoria (53%) and New South Wales (31%).



HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY TYPE

Consistent reporting of Indigenous status was more common among people who were residing in multiple family households at the time of the 2011 Census. Over half (55%) of the people residing in multiple family households were from remote areas. People who were residing in group households, households consisting of a couple family with no children or lone person households were more likely to have been identified as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person in the Census only than those from other types of households.


MARITAL STATUS

People aged 15 years and over who had never been in a registered marriage at the time of the 2011 Census were more likely to have been identified consistently as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person (74%) than those who reported a different marital status.

Generally among males and females, the propensity to identify as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person followed a similar pattern by registered marital status, with the exception of those who had been divorced or separated. Males who had been separated (53%) or divorced (43%) were less likely than females who had been separated (69%) or divorced (61%) to have been identified consistently.


LINKED DEATH REGISTRATION AND CENSUS RECORDS FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLE(a), by registered marital status and sex, proportion identified on both records(b) — 2011–12
People who were in a de facto relationship at the time of the 2011 Census were more likely to have been identified consistently (77%), compared with those who were in a registered marriage (56%) or those who were not in either sort of relationship (64%).


ANCESTRY

People who reported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestry in the Census were more likely to have consistently identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin in the Census and on their death registration record, compared with those who reported ancestries other than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (89% compared with 56%).

Previous Page

Next Page