DATA ELEMENTS AND DATA ELEMENT CONCEPTS
INDIGENOUS STATUS
IDENTIFYING AND DEFINITIONAL ATTRIBUTES
Metadata type:
DATA ELEMENT Version: 1
Definition:
Indigenous Status indicates whether or not a person identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. The term 'origin' when used in the context of this definition, is considered to relate to people's Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and for some, but not all, their cultural identity.
Context:
Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples occupy a unique place in Australian society and culture. Accurate and consistent statistics about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are needed in order to plan, promote and deliver essential services, to monitor changes in well-being and to account for government expenditure in this area.
RELATIONAL AND REPRESENTATIONAL ATTRIBUTES
Datatype:
Numeric
Field size:
Min: 2 Max: 2
Representational form:
Code
Representational layout:
NN
Data domain:
The standard classification for Indigenous Status has a hierarchical structure comprising two levels. Codes are provided to distinguish between the levels in the hierarchy and can be used to assist with data entry and/or output purposes.
1 Indigenous
11 Aboriginal but not Torres Strait Islander Origin
12 Torres Strait Islander but not Aboriginal Origin
13 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Origin
2 Non-Indigenous
24 Neither Aboriginal nor Torres Strait Islander Origin
Guide for use:
In addition to the above ABS standard classification, three extra values are necessary for the criminal courts collection. These are:
10 Indigenous n.f.d.
80 Not applicable (Organisation)
90 Not stated
Please note that the coding structure above deviates from the ABS standard which codes Not stated to 09
Verification rules:
None
Collection methods:
It is not possible to determine a person's Indigenous Status on the basis of appearance, surname or birthplace. To achieve an acceptable quality of Indigenous Status data, it is imperative that the individual collecting the information endeavour to apply the standard question module to all respondents and to record every response regardless of the person's appearance, name, country of birth or other perceptions about the person's background.
The following question is the basis for the standard question module:
The Indigenous Status question allows for more than one response. The procedure for coding multiple responses is as follows:
- If the respondent marks 'No' and either 'Aboriginal' or 'Torres Strait Islander', then the response should be coded to either Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander as indicated (i.e. disregard the 'No' response).
- If the respondent marks both the 'Aboriginal' and 'Torres Strait Islander' boxes, then the response should be coded to 'Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Origin'.
- If the respondent marks all three boxes ('No', 'Aboriginal' and 'Torres Strait Islander'), then the response should be coded to 'Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Origin' (i.e. disregard the 'No' response).
The 'Not stated' category should not be available as a valid response but can be used for operational purposes in the following circumstances:
- primarily when importing data from other data collections that do not contain mappable data;
- where an answer was refused; or
- where the question could not be asked because the client was unable to communicate or a person who knows the client was not available.
Related metadata:
Is a characteristic of the data element concept:
ADMINISTRATIVE ATTRIBUTES
Source document:
Standards for Social, Labour and Demographic Statistics (cat. no. 1200.0)
The ABS standards appear on the ABS web site. From the ABS home page (<www.abs.gov.au>) select: Methods, Classifications, Concepts & Standards/ABS concepts, classifications and statistical standards/12. Classifications and work manuals/1200.0 Standards for Social, Labour and Demographic Variables.
Source organisation:
Australian Bureau of Statistics
History:
Commenced 2005
Comments:
The purpose of the Indigenous Status standard is to enable the provision of consistent information from both statistical and administrative sources about people who self identify as being of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin.
Organisations wishing to determine the eligibility of individuals for particular benefits, services or rights will need to make their own judgements about the suitability of the standard measure for these purposes, having regard to the specific eligibility criteria of the program concerned.
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