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1216.0 - Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC), Jul 2007  
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/09/2007   
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Contents >> Statistical region structure >> The Spatial Units

THE SPATIAL UNITS

Census Collection District (CD)

See Chapter 2.



Statistical Local Area (SLA)

See Chapter 2.



Statistical Region Sector (SRS)

SRSs consist of one or more adjoining SLAs and in all but one case equate to one or more adjoining SSDs.


Example:


SRS SSD


Mornington

      Peninsula Frankston City
      Mornington
      Peninsula Shire

The exception is:
  • eight of the 16 SRSs in the Brisbane MSR are smaller than an SSD

Although SRSs are subdivisions of SRs, most SRSs equate with SRs. Exceptions to this generalised rule include the SRSs in the Hunter, Illawarra, Mackay-Fitzroy-Central West, Northern-North West, Gold Coast, Darling Downs-South West, Tasmania and Northern Territory SRs and the SRSs in the Brisbane MSR. SRSs are used primarily for disseminating selected labour force statistics. SRSs have also been used to present a range of regional statistics not incorporated in the Main Structure.


Example:

      SR SRS
      Brisbane City Inner Ring
          City Core
          Northern Inner
          Eastern Inner
          Southern Inner
          Western Inner
      Brisbane City Outer Ring
          Northern Outer
          Eastern Outer
          Southern Outer
          Western Outer

There are 89 SRSs in this edition of the ASGC.



SRS code

SRSs are identified by five-digit codes. Each code consists of S/T code (digit 1), MSR code (digit 2), SR code (digits 3-4) and SRS code (digit 5).


Example:

      Mornington Peninsula (21281)

Only digits 1, 3-4 and 5 are required for unique identification within Australia.



Statistical Region (SR)

SRs consist of one or more SSDs.


In the capital cities of the five larger states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, SRs are smaller than SDs and aggregate to form the respective capital city SDs. Outside of the capital cities in these S/Ts, SRs consist of one or more adjoining SDs.


In Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and Other Territories, SRs are the entire S/Ts.


There are 66 SRs in this edition of the ASGC.



SR code

SRs are identified by four-digit codes as follows:

  • Each code consists of S/T code (digit 1), MSR code (digit 2) and SR code (digits 3-4).

Example:
      West Moreton 3969
      Gosford-Wyong 1156
  • The SR code 98 has been reserved for special purposes (see Chapter 10).


Major Statistical Region (MSR)

Each of the five larger states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia consists of two MSRs. One MSR equates with the capital city SD and the other with the balance of the state. The other S/Ts have one MSR each with each MSR covering the entire area of the S/T.


There are 14 MSRs in this edition of the ASGC.



MSR code

MSRs are identified by two-digit codes for unique identification within Australia. Each code consists of an S/T code (digit 1) and an MSR code (digit 2). MSR code 1 represents the capital city MSR in the larger states while code 9 denotes the Balance of State MSR.


Example:

      MSR
      Sydney 11
      Balance of New South Wales 19


Delimitation of MSR, SR, SRS

One of the main uses of these spatial units is to report statistics from the Labour Force Surveys. These units were established following analyses of data from Censuses of Population and Housing, consultation with users of labour force data, consideration of minimum regional population levels required to yield reliable estimates, and the need for consistency with other statistical collections.


Population considerations dictate that Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and Other Territories cannot be dissected into two MSRs (as in the other states) as their populations are too small.


The minimum population size of a region for which labour force statistics are published depends on a number of factors. The prime determinant is the reliability of data based on the population size of the region and the sampling fraction of the S/T. Unlike state and MSR level data, estimates at lower geographic levels are not constrained to conform to independently estimated population totals. Estimates for regions are also based on considerably smaller samples. For these reasons, regional estimates may be subject to high relative standard errors. Other factors that may be considered are how well the region fits with the classification structure of the S/T, how homogenous the labour force is in the region, and the uses to which the data may be put.



State/Territory (S/T)

See Chapter 2.

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