1379.0.55.001 - National Regional Profile, 2008 to 2012  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/07/2014   
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GLOSSARY


Accommodation and Food Services

The Accommodation and Food Services industry is engaged in providing short-term accommodation for visitors, in providing food and beverage services, such as the preparation and serving of meals and the serving of alcoholic beverages for consumption by customers, both on and off-site.

Administrative and Support Services

The Administrative and Support Services industry engages in performing routine support activities for the day-to-day operations of other businesses or organisations. This includes office administration, hiring and placing personnel for others, preparing documents, taking orders for clients by telephone, providing credit reporting and collection services, and arranging travel and travel tours.

Age Pension

Age pension is a payment for persons who have reached Age Pension age and qualify to receive the Age Pension. Age Pension age depends on the individual's date of birth.

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industry is engaged in growing crops, raising animals, growing and harvesting timber, and harvesting fish or other animals from farms or their natural habitats.

Articulated trucks

Motor vehicles constructed primarily for load carrying, consisting of a prime mover having no significant load carrying area, but with a turntable device which can be linked to one or more trailers.

Arts and Recreation Services

The Arts and Recreation Services industry engages in the preservation and exhibition of objects and sites of historical, cultural or educational interest; the production of original artistic works and/or participation in live performances, events, or exhibits intended for public viewing; and the operation of facilities or the provision of services that enable patrons to participate in sporting or recreational activities, or to pursue amusement interests.

Australian Bureau of Statistics Business Register

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Business Register (ABSBR) is a register of all Australian businesses and contains identifying and classificatory data for each business. Information to populate the register is largely sourced from the Australian Business Register.

Australian Business Number

The Australian Business Number (ABN) is a unique business entity identifier introduced to assist with dealing with the Australian government.

Australian Statistical Geography Standard

The Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) is used by the ABS for the collection and dissemination of geographically classified statistics. The ASGS replaced the Australian Standard Geographic Classification (ASGC) from July 2011. All data in the National Regional Profile is presented on ASGS 2011.

Baby Bonus

Baby bonus is a payment that helps with the extra costs of a new baby or adopted child.

Building


A building is a rigid, fixed and permanent structure which has a roof. Its intended purpose is primarily to house people, plant, machinery, vehicles, goods or livestock.

Business Counts

A business for this purpose is defined as a legal entity engage in productive activity and/or other forms of activity in the market sector. Business counts derived from the ABSBR exclude some entities, such as those without an active Australian Business Number, those without an active Goods and Services Tax (GST) role, those no longer actively remitting GST, and those not operating in the market sector.

Business Entry

A business which has newly registered for an Australian Business Number (ABN) and which has a GST role allocated.

Business Exit

A business for which the ABN or GST role has been cancelled and/or which has ceased to remit GST for at least five consecutive quarters.

Buses


Motor vehicles constructed for the carriage of passengers. Included are all motor vehicles with 10 or more seats, including the driver's seat.

Campervans


Self-propelled motor vehicles containing an area primarily used for accommodation. Included are motor homes and powered caravans.

Carer Payment

Carer Payment is for people who are unable to support themselves through participation in the workforce while caring for someone with a disability, severe medical condition, or who is frail and aged.

Clerical and Administrative Support Workers

Clerical and Administrative Support Workers provide support to Managers, Professionals and organisations by organising, storing, manipulating and retrieving information.

Community and Personal Services Workers

Community and Personal Services Workers assist Health Professionals in the provision of patient care, provide information and support on a range of social welfare matters, and provide other services in the areas of aged care and child care, education support, hospitality, defence, policing and emergency services, security, travel and tourism, fitness, sports and personal services.

Construction

The Construction industry is engaged in the construction of buildings and other structures, additions, alterations, reconstruction, installation and maintenance and repairs of buildings and other structures.

Disability Support Pension

Disability Support Pension is a payment that provides income support for people who have a permanent physical, intellectual or psychiatric impairment.

Dwelling


A dwelling is a self-contained suite of rooms, including cooking and bathing facilities and intended for long-term residential use. A dwelling may comprise part of a building or the whole of a building. Regardless of whether they are self-contained or not, units within buildings offering institutional care (e.g. hospital) or temporary accommodation (e.g. motels, hostels and holiday apartments) are not defined as dwelling units. Such rooms are included in non-residential building approvals. Dwellings can be created in one of four ways: through new work to create a residential building; through alteration/addition work to an existing residential building; through either new or alteration/addition work on non-residential building or through conversion of a non-residential building to a residential building.

Education and Training

The Education and Training industry engages in the provision and support of education and training, except in the training of animals (e.g. dog obedience, horse training).

Electricity, Gas Water and Waste Services

Electricity, Gas Water and Waste Services industry is engaged in the provision of electricity; gas through mains systems; water, drainage; and sewerage services. Also includes units mainly engaged in the collection, treatment, and disposal of waste materials; remediation of contaminated materials (including land); and materials recovery activities.

Establishments


Establishments are hotels, motels and private resorts, guest houses and serviced apartments with 15 or more rooms - which provide predominantly short-term, non-residential accommodation.

Estimated resident population

Estimated Resident Populations (ERP) are the official measure of the population of Australia, based on the concept of usual residence. It refers to all people, regardless of nationality or citizenship, who usually live in Australia, with the exception of foreign diplomatic personnel and their families. It includes usual residents who are overseas for less than 12 months and excludes overseas visitors who are in Australia for less than 12 months.

Family


A family is defined by the ABS as two or more persons, one of whom is at least 15 years of age, who are related by blood, marriage (registered or de facto), adoption, step or fostering, and who are usually resident in the same household.

Family Tax Benefit

Family Tax Benefit can be paid to a parent, guardian or an approved care organisation to assist in the cost of raising children.

Financial and Insurance Services

The Financial and Insurance Services industry engages in financial transactions involving the creation, liquidation, or change of ownership of financial assets, and/or in facilitating financial transactions.

Fuel

Type of fuel used in motor vehicles as reported to the registering authority and includes leaded petrol, unleaded petrol, diesel, LPG/other gases, dual fuel and other which includes electric.

Greater Capital City Statistical Area

Greater Capital City Statistical Areas are part of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard and are geographical areas that are designed to represent the functional extent of each of the eight state and territory capital cities. Within each state and territory, the area not defined as being part of the greater capital city is represented by a Rest of State region.

Health Care and Social Assistance

The Health Care and Social Assistance industry provides human health care and social assistance.

Heavy rigid trucks


Rigid trucks of gross vehicle mass greater than 4.5 tonnes.

House

A detached building primarily used for long term residential purposes consisting of one dwelling unit. Includes detached residences associated with a non-residential building, and kit and transportable homes.

Household


A household is defined as one or more persons, at least one of whom is at least 15 years of age, usually resident in the same private dwelling.

Income Support Supplement

An income support pension paid to: eligible war widows and widowers under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, and persons receiving wholly dependant partners' compensation under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.

Individual annual taxable income


For an individual, the taxable income is the amount remaining after deducting from assessable income all deductions allowed under the Income Tax Assessment Act for that year and is the amount to which tax rates are applied. Average individual annual taxable income in an area is calculated by dividing the total taxable income by the total number of taxable taxpayers.

Information Media and Telecommunications

The Information Media and Telecommunications industry engages in:

  • creating, enhancing and storing information products in media that allows their dissemination;
  • transmitting information products using analogue and digital signals (via electronic, wireless, optical and other means); and
  • providing transmission services and/or operating the infrastructure to enable the transmission and storage of information and information products.

Investment

Investment income includes:
  • interest from financial institutions,
  • net rent and dividends or distributions (including imputation credits) from an Australian company, corporate unit trust or public trading trust,
  • distributions from trusts - non-primary production which mainly includes income from investments with cash management trusts, property trusts, money market trusts, mortgage trusts and unit trusts.

Labour force

For any group, persons who were employed or unemployed (see Unemployment).

Labourers

Labourers perform a variety of routine and repetitive physical tasks using hand and power tools, and machines either as an individual or as part of a team assisting more skilled workers such as Trades Workers, and Machinery Operators and Drivers.

Land Cover

Land cover refers to the physical surface of the earth, including various combinations of vegetation types, soils, exposed rocks and water bodies as well as anthropogenic elements, such as agriculture and built environments. Land cover classes can usually be discriminated by characteristic patterns using remote sensing.

Land Use

Land use is the purpose to which the land cover is committed. Some land uses, such as agriculture, have a characteristic land cover pattern. These usually appear in land classifications. Other land uses, such as nature conservation, are not readily discriminated by a characteristic land cover pattern. For example, where the land cover is woodland, land use may be timber production or nature conservation.

Light commercial vehicles

Vehicles primarily constructed for the carriage of goods, and which are less than or equal to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass. Included are utilities, panel vans, cab-chassis and forward-control load carrying vehicles (whether four-wheel drive or not).

Light rigid trucks


Rigid trucks of gross vehicle mass greater than 3.5 tonnes and less than or equal to 4.5 tonnes.

Local government area


Local Government Areas (LGAs) are spatial units which represent the geographical areas of incorporated local government councils. Each LGA has an official status which is indicated by the LGA type : (A) NSW LGA (excluding Cities), (AC) Aboriginal Council, (B) Borough, (C) City, (CGC) Community Government Council, (DC) District Council, (IC) Island Council, (M) Municipality/Municipal Council, (S) Shire, (RC) Rural City, (RegC) Regional Council and (T) Town. The major areas of Australia not administered by incorporated bodies are the northern parts of South Australia, most of the Northern Territory and all of the Australian Capital Territory and the Other Territories.

Managers

Managers plan, organise, direct, control, coordinate and review the operations of government, commercial, agricultural, industrial, non-profit and other organisations, and departments.

Manufacturing

The Manufacturing industry is engaged in the physical or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products (except Agriculture and Construction).

Machinery Operators and Drivers

Machinery Operators and Drivers operate machines, plant, vehicles and other equipment to perform a range of agricultural, manufacturing and construction functions, move materials, and transport passengers and freight.

Mining

The Mining industry extracts naturally occurring mineral solids, such as coal and ores; liquid minerals, such as crude petroleum; and gases, such as natural gas. The term mining is used in the broad sense to include underground or open cut mining; dredging; quarrying; well operations or evaporation pans; recovery from ore dumps or tailings as well as beneficiation activities (i.e. preparing, including crushing, screening, washing and floatation) and other preparation work customarily performed at the mine site, or as part of mining activity.

Motorcycles

Two and three wheeled motor vehicles constructed primarily for the carriage of one or two persons. Included are two and three wheeled mopeds, scooters, motor tricycles and motorcycles with sidecars.

Net tax


Net tax for individuals is calculated from Total income less deductions and losses, applying marginal tax rates, adding complementary tax, less tax offsets and adding the Medicare levy and surcharge.

New building

A building which previously did not exist.

Newstart Allowance

Newstart Allowance is a payment for people who are looking for work and allows them to participate in activities designed to increase their chances of finding work. Persons must be aged 22 to 64 years to qualify.

Non-freight carrying trucks


Specialist motor vehicles or motor vehicles fitted with special purpose equipment, and having little or no goods carrying capacity (e.g. ambulances, cherry pickers, fire trucks and tow trucks).

Non-residential building


A non-residential building is primarily intended for purposes other than long-term residential purposes.

Non-taxable individual

Personal (or individual) taxpayers with net tax payable equal to $0.

Other income


Other income (excluding Government pensions and allowances) is made up of selected sources of other income reported on the individual income tax return that were not allocated to Wages and salaries, Own unincorporated business, Investment, Superannuation and annuities.

Other Services

The Other Services industry includes a broad range of personal services; civic, religious, profession and other interest group services; selected repair and maintenance activities; and private households employing staff.

Own unincorporated business

Own unincorporated business income includes the following data items on the individual income tax return:
  • net income (or loss) from business,
  • distributions from partnerships and trusts for primary production activities,
  • distributions from partnerships for non-primary production activities and
  • net personal services income.

Parenting Payment

Parenting Payment is a payment for persons who are primary carers of children.

Passenger vehicles


Motor vehicles constructed primarily for the carriage of persons and containing up to nine seats (including the driver's seat). Included are cars, station wagons, four-wheel drive passenger vehicles and forward-control passenger vehicles. Excluded are campervans.

Population density


The population density for a region is calculated by dividing the Estimated Resident Population (ERP) by the land area.

Public Administration and Safety

The Public Administration and Safety industry engages in central, state, or local government legislative, executive, and judicial activities; in providing physical, social, economic and general public safety and security services; and in enforcing regulations. This industry includes military defence, government representation and international government organisations.

Private sector houses


A house is a detached building primarily used for long term residential purposes. It consists of one dwelling unit. Building ownership is classified as either public or private sector and is based on the sector of intended owner of the completed building at the time of approval.

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

The Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry engages in providing professional, scientific and technical services, applying common processes where labour inputs are integral to the production or service delivery. This industry specialises and sells its expertise. Services in this industry include scientific research, architecture, engineering, computer systems design, law, accountancy, advertising, market research, management and other consultancy, veterinary science and professional photography.

Professionals

Professionals perform analytical, conceptual and creative tasks through the application of theoretical knowledge and experience in the fields of arts, media, business, design, engineering, the physical and life sciences, transport, education, health, information and communication technology, the law, social sciences and social welfare.

Relative standard error


The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of sampling variability which is obtained by expressing the standard error as a percentage of the estimate to which it refers. For example, if the estimate is 0.5 and the standard error is 0.05, then the relative standard error will be 10%. The relative standard error is a useful measure in that it provides an immediate indication of the percentage of errors likely to have occurred due to sampling and thus avoids the need to refer also to the size of the estimate.

Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services

The Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services industry engages in renting, hiring, or otherwise allowing the use of tangible and intangible assets (except copyrights), and providing related services.

Residential building


Buildings primarily used for long-term residential purposes. Residential buildings are categories as houses or other residential buildings.

Retail Trade

The Retail Trade industry is engaged in the purchase and/or onselling, the commission-based buying, and the commission-based selling, of goods, without significant transformation, to the general public. The Retail Trade industry also purchases and on sells goods to the general public using non-traditional means, including the internet.

Sales Workers

Sales Workers sell goods, services and property, and provide sales support in areas such as operating cash registers and displaying and demonstrating goods.

Service Pension

A service pension can be paid to war veterans on the grounds of age or invalidity, and to eligible partners, widows and widowers.

Standardised death rate

Standardised death rates enable the comparison of death rates between populations with different age structures by relating them to a standard population. The ABS standard populations relate to the years ending in 1 (e.g. 2001). The current standard population is all persons in the 2012 Australian population. Standardised death rates are expressed per 1,000 standard population.

State/Territory


States and Territories are geographic areas and political entities with fixed boundaries. States and Territories consist of one or more Statistical Divisions. In aggregate, they cover Australia without gaps or overlaps.

Statistical Area 2


Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) are part of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard and are a medium-sized general purpose area. Their aim is to represent a community that interacts together socially and economically. On average they have a population of approximately 10,000 people. Most are designed to be within the population range 3,000 - 25,000. There are 2214 SA2s covering the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps.

Statistical Area 3

Statistical Areas Level 3 (SA3) are part of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard. There are 351 SA3s covering the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps. They are built up of whole SA2s. SA3s are designed to provide a regional breakdown of Australia. They generally have a population of between 30,000 and 130,000 people. In the major cities, they represent the area serviced by a major transport and commercial hub. They often closely align to large urban local government areas. E.g. Parramatta, Geelong. In regional areas, they represent the area serviced by regional cities with a population over 20,000 people. In outer regional and remote areas, they represent areas which are widely recognised as having a distinct identity and have similar social and economic characteristics. There are a small number of "zero SA3s". These have an effective design population of zero and represent very large National Parks close to the outskirts of major cities.

Statistical Area 4

Statistical Areas Level 4 (SA4) are part of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard and are used for the output of a variety of regional data, including the 2011 Census Data. There are 106 SA4s covering the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps. They are built up from whole SA3s. In regional areas, SA4s tend to have populations of between 100,000 to 300,000 people. In metropolitan areas, SA4s tend to have larger populations (300,000 – 500,000 people).

Superannuation and annuities

Superannuation and annuity income includes superannuation and similar pensions and annuities paid by an Australian superannuation fund, a retirement saving account provider, a registered organisation or life assurance company and pensions paid by a fund established for the benefit of Commonwealth, state or territory employees and their dependants. Also included in this category are bonuses from life insurance companies and friendly societies.

Technicians and Trade Workers

Technicians and trade workers perform a variety of skilled tasks, applying broad or in-depth technical, trade or industry specific knowledge, often in support of scientific, engineering, building and manufacturing activities.

Total fertility rate

The sum of age-specific fertility rates (live births at each age of mother per 1,000 of the female population of that age) divided by 1,000. It represents the number of children a female would bear during her lifetime if she experienced current age-specific fertility rates at each age of her reproductive life.

Total income of wage and salary earners


For wage and salary earners, the sum of income from all sources as reported on the individual income tax return for the financial year. Average total income in an area is calculated by dividing the total income by the total number of wage and salary earners.

Total Residential Building

Total residential building is comprised of houses and other residential buildings. it does not include dwellings in non-residential building.

Transport, Postal and Warehousing

The Transport, Postal and Warehousing industry is engaged in providing transport of passengers and freight by road, rail, water or air. Other transportation activities such as postal services, pipeline transport, and scenic and sightseeing transport are included in this industry.

Unemployment


Persons aged 15 and over who were not employed during the reference week and had actively looked for full-time or part-time work at any time in the four weeks up to the end of the reference week and were available for work in the reference week or were waiting to start a new job within four weeks from the end of the reference week and could have started in the reference week if the job had been available then.

Unemployment rate


For any group, the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the same group.

Value of building


Statistics on the value of building work approved are derived by aggregating the estimated 'value of building work when completed' as reported on building approval documents provided to local councils or other building approval authorities. Conceptually these value data should exclude the value of land and landscaping but include site preparation costs. These estimates are usually a reliable indicator of the completed value of 'houses'. However, for 'other residential buildings' and 'non-residential buildings', they can differ significantly from the completed value of the building as final costs and contracts have not been established before council approval is sought and gained.

Voluntary work for an organisation or group

This includes help willingly given in the form of time, service or skills, to a club, organisation or association. Unpaid voluntary work can include:
  • assisting at organised events and with sports associations;
  • helping with organised school events and activities;
  • assisting in churches, hospitals, nursing homes and charities; and
  • other kinds of volunteer work (e.g. emergency services).

Wage and salary earners


Persons aged 15 years and over who have submitted an individual income tax return and who earned wage and salary income in the financial year.

Wage and salary


Wage and salary income, as reported on the income tax return, includes:
  • Gross income, as shown on the 'PAYG payment summary - individual non-business';
  • Allowances, which may include car, travel or transport allowances, allowances for tools, clothing or laundry and dirt, risk, meal or entertainment allowances;
  • Commissions, bonuses, tips, gratuities, consultation fees, honoraria and other payments for services;
  • Attributed personal services income;
  • Eligible termination payments;
  • Lump sums; and
  • Other foreign employment income (included since 2009-10).

Wholesale Trade

The Wholesale Trade industry is engaged in the purchase and on selling, the commission-based buying, and the commission-based selling of goods, without significant transformation, to businesses.

Youth Allowance

Youth Allowance is a payment for young people who are studying, undertaking training or an Australian Apprenticeship, looking for work, or sick. Persons must be aged 15 to 24 years to qualify.