1287.0 - Standards for Cash Income Statistics, 1997
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/12/1997
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COLLECTION METHODS
Full question module 81. The module used in ABS surveys with a focus on household income and expenditure (i.e. SIHC and HES) comprises 131 questions, collecting details of wages from each job, current and last financial year receipts, partial prepayment of government benefits and many other details required for accurate calculation of Total cash income, imputation of income tax payable and disposable cash income, and derivation of Sources of cash income and Principal source of cash income at the person, income unit, family or household level. Because of its length and intrusiveness, it is not recommended for use except in the intended vehicles. Basic question module 82. The Basic module comprises eight questions (excluding sequence guides) and provides a broad measure of 'Total cash income'. It is recommended for use in surveys (other than surveys of the Indigenous population) where economic wellbeing is not a major focus but a broad measure of cash income is needed for cross-classificatory purposes. This module collects the amount of income received in dollar values from two groups of sources rather than individual sources and therefore does not support analysis of amount of income by Source of Cash Income. It therefore requires the respondent to report 'Principal source of cash income' rather than deriving it. 83. A version of this module that incorporates response categories for payments only available to Indigenous persons is used in the ISS and is recommended in any survey of the Indigenous population not specifically in remote communities. A specially tailored version of the ISS module is used in remote Indigenous communities. Short question module 84. The Short question module comprises four questions (excluding a sequence guide and including the optional Principal source question) and has been designed as an interview question for use where time or space constraints prohibit use of the Basic module. 85. The Short module is considered less accurate than the Basic module. It collects only one value ('Total cash income' from all sources) and therefore requires the respondent to report 'Principal source of cash income' rather than deriving it. Single question module 86. Comprising one question only, this module provides a very broad measure of 'Total cash income' and no information on source(s) of income. It is designed for use in self-enumerated questionnaires where simplicity and brevity are very important, and a very broad measure of income is considered adequate for analytical purposes. Amount of income is collected as dollar values. A version of this question, collecting Total cash income in ranges, is used in the Census. FULL QUESTION MODULE 87. The Full question module documented in Appendix B was developed for use in the 2003-2004 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES). Beginning with this survey, the cash income question modules for the HIES and the Survey of Income and Housing Costs (SIHC) will be the same. The modules are designed for computer assisted personal interviewing and are not suitable for a telephone interviewing environment. 88. It comprises 18 modules for a total of 131 questions, excluding instructions and sequence guides. Also excluded from this standard are questions relating to:
Counted among the questions are seven (in Modules 4 and 7) concerning receipts of Family Tax Benefit as an income tax rebate. Such receipts are not prompted for in other modules. BASIC QUESTION MODULE 89. The Basic question module was used in the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) and replaces the 'Standard question module' used in previous versions of this standard. It comprises 8 questions, plus sequence guides (and when collected using Computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI), data entry fields). It is designed for CAPI, but may be adapted for a paper and pencil instrument. Due to the use of prompt cards (see Appendix C), it would require modification for telephone interviewing. 90. This basic module is recommended ahead of the short question module for most uses. The module provides more detailed information than the short question module and should be used when more detailed output items such as 'Principal source of cash income' are required or where disaggregation of Australian government transfer payments may be necessary. 91. Note that because Q1 collects Unincorporated business and Property cash income for last financial year and Q3 explicitly excludes receipts from these sources for the current period, it is possible for a respondent whose only income last financial year was from a source collected on a current basis in Q3 and whose only current income is from a source collected at Q1 to appear to have no income. By the same token, a respondent whose only income last financial year was from a source collected at Q1 and whose only current income is from a source collected at Q3 may appear to have 'current' income from both sets of sources. There are similar issues associated with the full question module.
92. The question module used in the 2002 Indigenous Social Survey (ISS) in non-remote communities is identical to the basic module, except that it provides for specific aspects of Labour force participation (Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP)) in Indigenous communities and specific entitlements for Indigenous students (ABSTUDY). Further details of the modules used in the remote and non remote ISS instruments are documented in Appendix D and are recommended for use in surveys of the Indigenous population. SHORT QUESTION MODULE Short Question Module - Four Questions 93. The Short Question Module comprises four questions and has been developed for use in surveys using Personal Interview (PI) methodology in telephone or face-to-face contexts. Note that Q1 selects the population for this module. It also reminds the respondent of possible sources of cash income to assist them in providing an answer to Q2. It is suitable for the collection of data on 'Sources of cash income' at the broad level. The optional Q5 collects the variable 'Principal source of cash income'. Some survey instruments employing this module sequence those answering Q1 with 'Any Government pension benefit or allowance' to added questions based on questions 7 and 8 of the Basic module to collect which government transfer payments are received. 94. Those contemplating using this module should contact the Standards Support HOTLINE, Canberra (02) 6252 5736 if they have any queries about its use.
SINGLE QUESTION MODULE Single Question Module 95. The Single question module collects no information about 'Sources of cash income' and only a broad measure of 'Total cash income'. It is only suitable for self-enumerated questionnaires. 96. This is the recommended single question for self-enumeration:
97. The 2001 Census used a question collecting cash income in ranges because this option is easily processed with OMR technology and was intended to maintain high response rates. Collection of income amounts in ranges limits accurate aggregation of income unit, family or household income and analysis in standard quintiles. In other question modules it is preferable to prompt for a best estimate.
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