INTRODUCTION
Birth registrations classify a birth as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin (Indigenous) where at least one parent identified themselves as being of Indigenous origin on the birth registration statement. Indigenous fertility rates refer to births to Indigenous mothers.
This chapter reports on the characteristics of Indigenous births and fertility rates in each state and territory, except for the Australian Capital Territory and Other Territories (comprising Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Jervis Bay Territory). Data for these jurisdictions have not been analysed separately because of small numbers of Indigenous births. Numbers of Indigenous births in the Australian Capital Territory are reported in table 2.20 and table 3.1, while Other Territories data are included in Australian totals.
Some Indigenous births are not identified as such when they are registered. Data presented in this chapter may therefore underestimate the levels of Indigenous births and fertility rates in Australia. Lags in registrations may also affect reliability of measures of Indigenous births and fertility. Caution should be exercised when interpreting data presented in this chapter, especially with regard to year to year changes.
Quality Declaration 
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