ASSDA - Australian Social Science Data Archive

Notes on Person Characteristics

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin question 16 RAC
Only persons of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin are separately identified in this classification. All other persons who answered this question are classified as 'Not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin'. Further information on this characteristic is contained in Census 81-Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders (2153.0).

Age question 3 AGE
Respondents were asked to provide age in completed years. Where the respondent failed to answer this question, age was allocated by first establishing the minimum age range within which the correct age most probably lay (as indicated by answers to other questions on the schedule) and then by selecting an age, within that range, from a table of random ages based on the latest data on age by sex distributions.

Age left school question 18 ALS
The purpose of this question which relates only to persons 15 years of age and over is to determine the highest level of primary or secondary education completed. For those persons without post-secondary qualifications (as indicated by the answer to Question 20) age left school indicates the educational level attained. Age left school is asked instead of 'level of schooling' to overcome confusion caused by the differences in State and overseas education systems and the variations in them over past decades.

Birthplace of father question 14 BPF
'Birthplace of father' and 'birthplace of mother' (BPM) each incorporate the same lists of countries. However, the number of countries coded is less than for 'birthplace of individual'.

While the 1981 Census classification is basically the same as that used for the 1976 Census, it gives somewhat more detail. Some of the countries included in 1976 in the 'other countries in Europe' item now have separate codes and some other countries in Asia and America have been regrouped or given separate codes for the 1981 Census. Also, because of the inclusion for the 1981 Census of categories for more African countries and Oceania, the 1976 Census general category 'all other countries' is no longer necessary.

Birthplace of individual question 11 BPL
Birthplace codes for the overseas born population are often grouped in tables into main English speaking countries and non-English speaking countries. Those countries included in the main English speaking countries category are:

England	Northern Ireland	United States of America
Scotland	Ireland (Republic)	Republic of South Africa
Wales	Canada	New Zealand

The category non-English speaking countries consists of all other countries and also includes the item 'at sea'.

For the 1981 Census some changes have been made to the 1976 Census birthplace classification. The 1976 classification included a separate category for each State and Territory in Australia for persons born in Australia. Also where a respondent failed to supply information on his/ her birthplace and the birthplace could not be imputed, the code 'Australia (undefined)' was allocated. For 1981 Census processing, however, there is only one category for birthplace 'Australia' and where a respondent's birthplace was not stated, and imputation from other information on the schedule was not possible, birthplace was recorded as 'not stated'.

The 1976 Census birthplace category 'other countries in Europe' has been split for the 1981 Census into two categories: 'other southern Europe' which includes Andorra, Gibraltar, Monaco, San Marino and Europe (undefined); and 'other northern Europe' which includes the Baltic States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.

Minor changes have been made for the 1981 Census classification to the countries included in the 1976 categories: 'other countries in Asia', 'other countries in America', 'other countries in Oceania' and some groups of African countries. These changes affect the comparability between the 1976 and 1981 Census birthplace classifications.

Country names mentioned in answer to the birthplace question are shown in census tabulations according to the current name of the country at the time of preparation of the birthplace index used during processing.

Birthplace of mother question 14 BPM
The same output classification categories apply as for 'birthplace of father'.

Birthplace of parents derived from answers to question 14 BPP
This characteristic consists of a selection of countries under three headings:

(a) Birthplace of father same as birthplace of mother -. . . (countries listed) ;

(b) Father born in -. . . (countries listed), mother born elsewhere, or not stated;

Country of citizenship question 13 CIT
The major justification for asking citizenship or nationality is the need to identify the size of groups eligible to vote. The classification is split into 'Commonwealth' and 'non-Commonwealth' countries and includes a category for 'stateless'.

Education institution: attending, not attending, etc. question 19 EDI
This census characteristic relates to persons 15 years of age and over and includes output categories for 'not attending' an education institution, 'attending full time', 'attending part time' and 'not applicable' and 'not stated'.

Families in household-number of derived from answers to question 4 NOF
This characteristic relates only to occupied private dwellings. Families within occupied private dwellings consist of at least a primary family unit (PFU) whose head is also the head of the household. If a private household contains more than one family unit all other families other than the PFU become secondary family units (SFU's). An SFU must consist of at least two persons, and there can be no more than three SFU's in any household.

More information on census family concepts is contained in Census 81 - Dwelling, Household, Family (2150.0).

Family classification code derived from answers to questions 3, 4 and 19 FMC
The classification of the family characteristic is coded by computer with reference to the answers about household members in questions 3, 4 and 19. Only persons in private dwellings are coded to families. Commune members were separately identified in this classification of the 1976 Census. This was not the case for the 1981 Census for which such persons were subject only to the rules for family coding.

In all family related classifications, only persons present in the household on census night are included. Thus, a number of one person families may exist only because other members of the family were absent on census night. Other families (and households) may be incomplete for the same reason.

For further information refer to Census 81 - Dwelling, Household, Family (2150.0).

Family head derived from answers to question 4 FHD
This census characteristic relates to family units in private dwellings.

So that family units can be identified for census purposes, a head is designated for every household (defined as a person or group of persons living as a domestic unit with common eating arrangements). The household head is also designated head of the primary family unit (see below). If there are no other household members, the household head, by definition, comprises a one person household and a one person family. If there are other household members present on census night, the relationship to household head given in answer to question 4 (and in some cases other information on the schedule) is used to allocate them to the primary family unit, to one or more secondary family units, or to identify them as non-family members.

Secondary family units must consist of at least two persons, one of whom is designated family head, and only up to three SFU's are coded in any household. In the rare cases where there were more than one primary and three secondary families, the additional persons were treated as unrelated individuals.

The output classification for FHD includes categories for 'head of family', 'spouse' and 'other'. The category 'other' includes all occupants of non-private dwellings.

For further information refer to Census 81 - Dwelling, Household, Family (2150.0).

Family income derived from answers to questions 4 and 21 FIN
Family income is defined as the sum of the midpoints of the income ranges (from no income to over $26,000) of the head of the family and spouse where both are present, or the individual income of the head where no spouse is present. Income of other family members is not included in calculating family income. See also household income.

As with all characteristics relating to family, family income relates only to families in private dwellings. It is discussed in more detail in Census 81 - Income (2151.0).

Family number derived from answers to question 4 FNO
This characteristic indicates whether each member of a household present on census night belongs to a primary family unit or to one of the three possible secondary family units, or is a non-family member. The 'not applicable' category applies to occupants of non-private dwellings.

Further information on families is contained in Census 81 - Dwelling, Household, Family (2150.0).

Hours worked question 30 HRS
This characteristic relates to employed persons 15 years of age and over. Details are sought of the hours actually worked in the main job held in the week prior to the census. This constitutes a change from the 1976 census in which hours usually worked per week in the 'Main job' and 'Other job(s)' were collected separately. The output categories for 1981 Census results are different from those used for the 1976 Census.

Household income derived from answers to questions 3 and 21 HIN
Household income relates to households in occupied private dwellings and is the sum of the mid-points of the ranges of the individual incomes of all persons 15 years of age and older in the dwelling on census night.

Detail on census income characteristics is contained in Census 81 - Income (2151.0).

Income unit type derived from answers to question 4 IUT
Income unit type is a new characteristic introduced for the 1981 Census which applied to occupants of private dwellings. IUT classifies individuals into special sub-family units which, when cross-classified with income data, can be used for welfare-oriented analysis. The income unit types are: head and spouse only; head, spouse and dependent(s); head only and dependent(s); head only; other adult family member; adult non-family member.

Further details of this characteristic are contained in both Census 81 - Dwelling, Household, Family (2150.0) and Census 81 - Income (2151.0).

Individual income question 21 INC
This characteristic relates to persons 15 years of age and over. The income question in the 1981 Census asked respondents to state in which of 14 income ranges their usual weekly income fell. Income for census purposes comprises wages and salaries including overtime, superannuation receipts, pensions, family allowances, other benefits, tips and gratuities, business and farm income (less operating expenses) and any other income, before the deduction of tax superannuation contributions, health insurance, etc. More detail on this census characteristic is provided in Census 81 - Income (2151.0).

Industry questions 28 and 29 IND
Information relating to industry of employment was collected in respect of persons aged 15 years and over who were employed members of the labour force.

Two questions were included on the census schedule to determine industry of employment. The industry in which a person is employed was determined by the kind of economic activity carried out by the establishment in which the person worked. Question 28 on the census schedule asked for the trading name of employer and address of workplace. An ABS index of employers' establishments identified by name and address, and preceded to industry using the Australian Standard Industrial Classification (ASIC), was consulted to enable the industry of employer to be coded on the schedule. If the employer's name or the establishment address was not listed in the index, or was not stated by the respondent, the description of activity given in reply to question 29 was used to determine industry of employment.

Further information about industry of employment is contained in Census 81 - Industry (2147.0).

Internal migration indicator, 1980 - 1981 derived from answers to questions 8 and 9 RMO
Answers to the questions on place of usual residence at census night and twelve months previously provide an indicator of whether internal migration occurred in that period in respect of the individual concerned. This characteristic is thus only applicable to persons one year of age and over. Only the net movement in the year to June 1981 is obtained: multiple movements, or 'out and back' movements. are not recorded.

More details on internal migration can be obtained by combining RMO with some of the place of usual residence characteristics (to obtain information on departure and destination locations, see RLC, RSC, RLO and RSO below). Refer to Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0) for a fuller treatment of this topic.

Internal migration indicator - 1976, 1980, 1981 derived from answers to questions 8, 9 and 10 RMV
Output codes for this characteristic indicate whether a person's usual residence was:

(a) the same in 1976, 1980 and 1981;

(b) the same in 1976 and 1980, but different in 1981;

(d) different in 1976 from both 1980 and 1981. (Usual residence in 1980 and 1981 may or may not be the same).

This characteristic does not apply to persons under 5 years of age.

More detailed information relating to internal migration can be obtained by combining RMV with some of the place of usual residence characteristics (to obtain information on departure and destination locations, see RLC, RSC, RLO, RSO, RLV and RSV below). Refer to Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0) for a fuller treatment of this topic.

Issue total number of children born question 22 TIS
This question is asked of all females 15 years of age and over. Total issue is tabulated for all live births in the following categories: 1 - 13 as separate categories; 14 and over; not stated; and not applicable. The issue question in 1981 differs from the issue questions asked in the 1976 Census as the 1981 question includes all children born, not just children from marriages as in 1976.

Journey to work derived from answers to questions 8 and 28 DZA AND DZN
This characteristic relates only to employed persons in designated journey to work study areas who were enumerated at their usual place of residence on census night.

The study areas are:

Sydney/ Wollongong/ Newcastle
Melbourne/ Geelong
Brisbane/Gold Coast
Adelaide
Perth
Hobart
Launceston
Canberra/ Queanbeyan
Albury/ Wodonga

DZA is the mnemonic for study area while DZN applies to destination zone codes. DZA must always be used with DZN to identify the study area to which the destination zone codes relate.

Journey to work data provide statistics on journey to work patterns, employment location and 'daytime populations'. Information on this characteristic is derived at the coding stage using the responses to the question on usual residence and address of place of work. Specific addresses are not entered onto the computer record; only CD of origin (i.e. of home) and destination (i.e. for work) zones are entered.

Further information on journey to work is contained in Census 81 - Journey to Work (2154.0).

Language - use of English question 15 ENG
This was a new question for the 1981 Census which sought information on whether a person spoke a language other than English at home; those who did were asked how well they spoke English. Results are tabulated only for persons aged 5 years or over.

Details on ENG are contained in Census 81 - Language (2152.0).

Marriage - duration of question 6 DUR
While this question was asked of all persons 'now married', results are only tabulated for 'now married' women aged 15 years and over, for use in fertility studies.

The 1981 Census classification is up to 58 years in single years, with 59 years and over combined into one group.

Marriages - number of question 7 MMO
This question was asked of all persons who were married at the time of the census, but only those answers reported by married females aged 15 years and over were tabulated for fertility studies.

Marital status question 5 MST
The 1981 question on marital status includes a change in response categories from those used at the 1976 Census: the 1976 Census category 'married but permanently separated' was replaced by the category 'separated but not divorced' for the 1981 Census. This change should improve the accuracy of response to the marital status question as it better reflects the provisions of the Family Law Act introduced in 1975. The question gave no guidance on how persons in de facto relationships were to respond. However, persons who reported themselves as married were coded as such, even if they commented that the relationship was not legalised. Where a respondent failed to specify marital status, it was imputed with reference to other information on the census schedule e.g. age, family structure, and duration of marriage if available; supplemented by tables of the distribution of marital status by age (and sex) of the Australian population at large.

Occupation question 27 OCC
Information on occupation was collected for all employed members of the labour force aged 15 years of age and over.

For classification purposes, an occupation is defined as a collection of jobs sufficiently similar in their main tasks to be grouped under a common title. In other words, an occupation classification relates basically to the kind of work performed. The classification of a person's occupation from response to the census question is difficult because one kind of work can be described in different ways and, conversely, many different kinds of work can be described by a single name. Because of this there are often problems in allocating standard occupation codes to responses to question 27, which consist of each person's self - perception and self - description of his/her occupation.

The coding of occupation was based on the Australian Classification of Occupations which was adapted from the principles embodied in the international Standard Classification of Occupations issued by the International Labour Office, Geneva. Almost all the occupation codes used at the 1981 Census match 1976 Census codes, with the exception of some items in the minor group 'Teachers' (group 'OG').

Further information on occupation is contained in Census 81 - Occupation (2148.0).

Occupational status derived from answers to questions 24, 25 and 26 STC
This characteristic embraces the concepts of employment status, labour force status and occupational status used elsewhere in ABS publications, and includes categories for: wage and salary earner; self-employed; employer; unpaid helper, working 15 hours or more in a family business; unemployed; not in the labour force; and not applicable (i.e. persons aged less than 15 years).

For the 1981 Census, the category 'unemployed' contains both the 1976 Census categories 'unemployed, looking for first job' and 'unemployed, looking for work (not first job)'. The census definition of unemployed uses the week before census night as the reference period, whereas other ABS statistics of the unemployed have a four week reference period. For an explanation of occupational status and related characteristics refer to Census 81 - Occupation (2148.0) or Census 81 - Industry (2147.0).

Period of residence in Australia question 12 PER
This characteristic relates only to the overseas born population. The number of years a person born overseas had been resident in Australia is calculated from the answer to question 12, which asked for year of first arrival in Australia.

For the 1976 Census, period of residence in Australia was tabulated up to 28 years in single years with a further category for 29 years or longer. For the 1981 Census the classification shows period of residence up to 35 years in single years, and 35 years or longer in one category.

Primary family - number of persons in derived from answers to question 4 NFP
This characteristic relates to the number of persons in each primary family unit (excluding non-family members) in occupied private dwellings.

Public/private sector (government/non-government) question 28 GNG
This characteristic relates to employed persons 15 years of age and over. The output classification categorises a person's employer into Australian Government (department or other); State Government (department or other); Local Government; Private sector; or not stated.

Qualification - level and field question 20 QAL
Question 20 asked of all persons aged 15 years and over, who were not still at school, if they had obtained any qualifications since leaving school; if they had, the highest qualification obtained since leaving school was sought. Details of the awarding institution, field of study and year obtained were also requested to assist in the processing of responses.

Qualifications were classified by level, and by field of study within each level according to the ABS Census Index of Qualifications, which is based on the United Nations International Standard Classification of Education. The 1981 Census level of qualification groups 'trade certificate' and 'other certificates' are not exactly comparable with the 1976 Census categories 'technician' and 'trade'; the classification of levels is otherwise the same in both censuses. There are some differences between the field of qualification classification used in 1976 and 1981 and details of these differences and other information on this characteristic are available in Census 81 - Education Qualifications (2149.0).

Qualification - year obtained question 20 YOQ
Like 'level and field' of qualification, this characteristic relates only to persons with qualifications who are aged 15 years and over. Refer to Census 81 - Education Qualifications (2149.0) for details.

Religion question 17 REL
At the 1981 Census the instruction alerting respondents to the optional nature of this question was placed adjacent to the question, rather than on the front of the schedule as in the 1976 Census. The non-response rate for this question in 1981 was 10.9%, compared with a rate of 11.8% for the 1976 Census.

Several changes were made to the religion classification for the 1981 Census:

(a) All Orthodox denominations, however described at the 1976 Census were coded to the category 'Greek Orthodox'. For the 1981 Census, the equivalent group has been classified as either 'Armenian Apostolic' or 'Orthodox'.

(b) The Uniting Church of Australia came into being in 1977 and a new category 'Uniting Church' was included for the first time. However the separate categories 'Methodist', 'Presbyterian', and 'Congregational' were retained to include those people who still identified themselves as such in the census.

(d) The category 'Buddhist' was introduced under the heading 'non-Christian'.

(e) Consultation with users of data on religion prior to the 1981 Census led to the categories of 'Catholic, Roman' and 'Catholic, not Roman' being combined under the single category 'Catholic' for all general outputs from the 1981 Census.

Relationship to head of family question 4 RLF
Household structure and family structure were determined from answers to the question which asked for relationship to 'person 1'. The words 'person 1' were substituted on the 1981 Census schedule for the previously used term, household head.

Details on family topics are included in Census 81 - Dwelling, Household, Family (2150.0).

Resident (Australia)/visitor status question 8 REV
A visitor is any person who stated in answer to question 8, 'Where does each person usually live?', that his or her usual residence was overseas.

At the 1976 Census, this information was obtained by a direct question asked only of overseas born persons. All Australian born persons were grouped together into one category, 'resident, not stated, not applicable'. The second category in 1976 was 'visitor'.

For the 1981 Census, resident/ visitor status was imputed from answers to question 8 on usual residence which was asked of all persons. Thus in 1981, Australian born persons were classified, along with those born overseas, into one of three categories: 'resident', 'visitor' and 'not stated'. There is no 'not applicable' category for this characteristic at the 1981 Census.

Secondary family 1 number of persons NFA

Secondary family 2 number of persons derived from answers to question 4 NFB

Secondary family 3 number of persons NFC

These characteristics relate only to persons in private dwellings. For census purposes a household may not contain more than three secondary family units, and each secondary family must consist of at least two persons. (See also the notes on Families in household - number of). For more information refer to Census 81 - Dwelling, Household, Family (2150.0).

Sex question 2 SEX
There is no 'not stated' category for this characteristic. Where a respondent failed to answer question 2, an answer was imputed from other information on the census form.

Travel to work (mode) question 31 TPT
This question asked how each person with a job travelled to work on the Monday before the census (i.e. 29 June 1981). Some modes of transport may appear in unexpected places, e.g. tram or ferry in the ACT. This is possible, as a person may have been working away from the usual location on the day before census day.

Usual residence 1981 question 8 RMC
Tabulations for this characteristic include two categories: 'usual resident of this dwelling' and 'visitor to this dwelling or not stated'. For information giving the LGA and State of usual residence, other usual residence fields listed below must be used.

Refer also to: Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0).

Usual LGA of residence - 1981 derived from answers to question 8 RLC
This classification contains a separate code for census LGA's in each State and Territory. Where a person did not state his/ her LGA of usual residence, RLC was regarded as 'not stated'. Where a person's usual residence was overseas, RLC was set to the country of usual residence using birthplace (BPL) codes. The usual residence characteristic 'Usual State of Residence - 1981' (RSC) must be used in combination with RLC.

Information on these usual residence characteristics for geographic areas other than LGA's can be obtained, but only for areas comprising combinations of whole LGA's. Statistics for areas which do not comprise whole LGA's, such as so me statistical divisions and postcode areas (whose boundaries may cross LGA boundaries) cannot be accurately produced.

For details, refer to Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0).

Usual State of residence - 1981 question 8 RSC
This characteristic contains separate categories for each Australian State and Territory, 'overseas' and 'not stated'. Refer to Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0).

Usual LGA of residence - 1980 derived from answers to question 9 RLO
This characteristic can only apply to persons one year of age and over. Codes are allocated for LGAs in each State and Territory, and a zero is allocated for responses of 'overseas', 'not stated'and 'not applicable' (i.e. persons aged less than one year).

This characteristic must be used in combination with 'Usual State of Residence - 1980' (RSO).

For more detail refer to Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0).

Usual State of residence - 1980 question 9 RSO
This characteristic contains separate categories for each Australian State and Territory, 'overseas', 'not stated' and 'not applicable' (i.e. persons aged less than one year).

See also Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0).

Usual LGA of residence - 1976 derived from answers to question 10 RLV
This usual residence characteristic can only apply to persons five years of age and over. Codes are allocated for LGA's in each State and Territory, and a zero is allocated for responses of 'oversees', 'not stated' and 'not applicable' (persons aged less than five years).

RLV must be used in combination with 'Usual State of Residence - 1976' (RSV).

For further information on usual residence refer to Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0).

Usual State of residence - 1976 question 10 RSV
This characteristic contains separate categories for each Australian State or Territory, 'overseas', 'not stated' and 'not applicable' (persons aged less than five years).

See also Census 81 - Usual Residence and Internal Migration (2155.0).

Secondary family 1 number of persons		NFA
Secondary family 2 number of persons	derived from answers to question 4	NFB
Secondary family 3 number of persons		NFC