Australian Bureau of Statistics
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Major Statistical Regions (MSR) divide each State into the capital city statistical division and remainder of State. Because of population size limitations, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory are one MSR each.

For more information refer to Statistical Geography - Volume 1: Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (Cat. no. 1216.0). Maps are available on request from your State/Territory ABS Client Services.

See also Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC).


Major Urban

See Section of State.


Manufactured Home Estates

Land or estates developed specifically for manufactured homes on which manufactured homes are, or are to be, erected.

A manufactured home is a self-contained dwelling that is transported to the estate for installation on the estate. This includes any associated structures that form part of the dwelling.

Within the development there must be reticulated water, sewerage, drainage and electricity connected to each lot. There must also be some form of community facilities and transport services available and reasonable access to medical care, recreational facilities, etc.

This category specifically excludes all retirement villages.

See also Dwelling, Dwelling Type (DWTD).


Mapinfo Australia Pty Ltd

Mapinfo Australia Pty Ltd have been contracted to develop CDATA96 and do reduction and attribution work on the digital spatial data.


Maps

See Reference Maps, Census Geographic Data, Digital Geographic Areas.


Marina

See Caravans.


Marital Status

There are two variables that may be used to identify a person's marital status in the 1996 Census Registered Marital Status (MSTP) and Social Marital Status (MDCP).

Registered Marital Status (MSTP) reports responses to the question 'What is the person's present marital status?' and refers to the legal status of the person and not necessarily his/her current living arrangement. The output categories are:

• never married;

• widowed;

• divorced;

• separated; and

• married.

• married in a registered marriage;

• married in a de facto marriage; and

• not married.

'Married in a de facto marriage' is a category of the Social Marital Status (MDCP) classification. A de facto marriage exists when the relationship between two people of the opposite sex or same sex, who live together in the same household is reported as: de facto, partner, common law husband/wife/spouse, lover, boyfriend, girlfriend.

See also Social Marital Status (MDCP), Relationship in Household (RLHP).


Married Registered

In the 1996 Census a registered marriage may be reported in both Registered Marital Status (MSTP) and Social Marital Status (MDCP). Registered Marital Status (MSTP) is coded from Question 6 'What is the person's present marital status?' Social Marital Status (MDCP) is derived from the relationship question (Question 5).

The counts of people in registered marriages differ depending on which variable is being used. Some of the reasons for this variation are as follows:

• A person may live alone, in a group house, or with other relatives and still be legally married. If this is the case he/she would have a social marital status of 'not married' and a registered marital status of 'married'.

• A person currently living with a partner in a de facto marriage may report himself/herself as married in the marital status question. In this case he/she would have a social marital status of 'married in a de facto marriage' and a registered marital status of 'married'.

• A person in a de facto marriage may report a relationship to Person 1 of 'husband/wife' because he or she may feel this best describes the relationship, but may answer 'never married' in the marital status question this results in a social marital status of 'married in a registered marriage', and a registered marital status of 'never married'.

See Table.


Mean Income

See Median income.


Median Income

Median income is the mid point of the distribution of income.

To enable calculation of family and household income, the incomes of all relevant members are summed. As individual income is collected in ranges rather than single dollar amounts, a point (median) is selected within each range and used to calculate the total. This median income is calculated using information from the Survey of Income and Housing where income is collected in single dollar amounts.

See also Family Income (FINF), Household Income (HIND), Income (INCP).


Method of Travel to Work (TPTP)

This variable records up to three methods, or means, of travel to work for each person aged 15 years and over who was employed during the week before the Census. The data are used in Journey to Work (JTW) study area analysis, and transport planning.

The question on method of travel (Question 38) allows for multiple answers in all categories except walked only, worked at home, and did not go to work; for example, a journey to work by car as the driver, by ferry and then bus, would be recorded as such, i.e. all three modes would be coded.

Statistics gathered from this question give an indication of the way people travelled to work on census day, however, some issues in practical application of the statistics should be noted when they are used in conjunction with Work Destination Zone (DZNP) and Work Destination Area (DZSP) data.

The following points should be particularly noted:

• Method of travel to work and origin zone to destination zone travel involve different time periods. Statistics on method of travel relate to 6 August 1996, while destination zone statistics relate to the main job held last week, meaning the week before the Census. For example, a person may have been working in the centre of Sydney on 6 August 1996 and have travelled there by train but, in the week before the Census, may have been working in an outer suburb of Sydney and travelled there by car.

• Destination zone statistics relate only to employed people enumerated in the Journey to Work Study Areas, while method of travel is sought for all employed people 15 years of age and over.

• A person who had a job last week may have been unemployed, retired, or on leave on 6 August 1996 and did not go to work on that day. On the other hand, a person may have been unemployed last week but have a designated method of travel to work on 6 August 1996 because he/she had since become employed.

See Section of State.


Microfiche

Microfiche are not available for the 1996 Census.

See also Directory of Census Statistics.


Migrant

See Year of Arrival (YARP).


Migration

See Birthplace, Internal Migration, Year of Arrival in Australia (YARP).


Migratory Collection District

See Section of State, Dwelling Type (DWTD).


Mnemonics

Some of the entries in this dictionary describe variables on the census unit record file. Each variable has a four character mnemonic, e.g. HIND for Household Income. These mnemonics are a convenient shorthand method of describing census variables and would generally be used by clients when specifying customised tables.

It is essential that census data users are clear about whether the variable relates to a dwelling, a family or a person. The last character of the mnemonic is therefore important: it is a D for dwelling, an F for family, or a P for person.

Complete classifications for census variables are listed in Section 1 - 1996 Census Classifications.

See also entries for individual variables.


Mortgage

See Housing Loan Repayment (HLRD).


Mother

See Parent.


Multiple Family Households

For the 1996 Census, up to three families can be coded in one household: the primary family (usually the first listed on the census form, or the one with dependent children); and up to two others, called collectively other families, and individually second and third families.

In the extremely rare case where more than three families are found in a household, three families are separately classified and members of the other(s) are classified as either related family members of the primary family or non-family members as appropriate.

Relevant variables are Family Type (FMTF), Family Number (FNOF) and Relationship of Second or Third Family to Primary Family (FRLF).

See also Family, Households.


Municipalities

See local government area.

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