2911.0.55.002 - Discussion Paper: Census of Population and Housing - ABS Views on 2011 Census Output Geography, 2011  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 09/03/2010  Final
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MESH BLOCKS

Mesh Blocks are used as the basis for processing census data and the ASGS, however most output geographies will be built from whole SA1s. Basic information on the Usual Resident population and total dwelling counts will be published at Mesh Block level for 2011. No other information for individual Mesh Block areas will be available. As with all census output, small random adjustments will be made to the basic Mesh Block information to allow the maximum amount of detailed Census data to be released without breaching confidentiality. This randomisation, along with respondent and processing error, has a greater impact on small area data, such as Mesh Blocks, than on larger areas.

The 2006 Census was the first time the ABS attempted to code census data to Mesh Block. These counts were experimental and not subject to the same rigorous quality assurance that were applied to all other census data. The design of the 2006 Mesh Block boundaries was also experimental and there have been significant changes to the boundaries for 2011.

For the 2011 Census users will not be able to request statistics based on user defined regions that are aggregated from Mesh Blocks. The ABS, will however, store mesh block coded data in anticipation of this functionality being made available in the lead up to the 2016 Census.