Imputed distance to work (IFDTWP)

Latest release
Census of Population and Housing: Census dictionary
Reference period
2021

Definition

This variable indicates whether a person's distance to work was calculated using a straight-line or road network distance. A straight-line distance is only used where the data is not available to calculate based on a road network (for example, there was a break in the underlying road network data as a person travelled between an island and the Australian mainland), or the straight-line distance of the commute is greater than 250 kilometres. 

Scope

Persons aged 15 years and over who stated their labour force status as ‘employed’

Categories

 

CodeCategory
1Distance to work calculated with a straight-line distance
2Distance to work calculated with a road network distance
3Did not commute
@Not applicable

Number of categories: 4

Did not commute (3) category comprises of persons whose mesh block of PURP and mesh block of POWP were the same and stated they:

  • 'Worked from home'
  • 'Did not go to work'
  • 'Mode not stated’

Not applicable (@) category comprises:

  • Persons who were unemployed, not in the labour force, or whose labour force status was not stated
  • Persons under 15 years of age
  • Overseas visitors
  • Persons who were coded to Special purpose codes.

Question(s) from the Census form

Where does the person usually live?

Where does the person usually live?
Where does Person 1 usually live? For people who usually live in another country and who are visiting Australia for less than one year, select 'Other country'. For other people, 'usually live' means the address at which the person has lived, or intends to live, for a total of six months or more in 2021. For people who have no fixed or return address (for example, due to family conflict or eviction), select 'Elsewhere in Australia' and write 'None' in the 'Suburb/Locality' box. For boarders at boarding school, provide the address of the boarding school or college. More information Person's usual address 1 Smith Street Belconnen ACT 2617 Elsewhere in Australia (please specify address) Other country

More information

Additional information relating to the question on: Where does the person usually live?

More information

Where does Person 1 usually live? For people who usually live in another country and who are visiting Australia for less than one year, select 'Other country'. For other people, 'usually live' means the address at which the person has lived, or intends to live, for a total of six months or more in 2021. For people who have no fixed or return address (for example, due to family conflict or eviction), select 'Elsewhere in Australia' and write 'None' in the 'Suburb/Locality' box. For boarders at boarding school, provide the address of the boarding school or college. More information If you have written 'None' in the 'Suburb/Locality' box, make sure the other boxes are empty. If the person is providing an address for 'Elsewhere in Australia' and they usually live in Norfolk Island or other external territories, such as Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Jervis Bay, please select 'Other external territory' in the State/Territory box.

For the main job held last week, what was the person’s workplace address?

For the main job held last week, what was the person’s workplace address?
For the main job held last week, what was Person 1's workplace address? For people who work from home for an employer, write the employer's workplace address. For people with no fixed place of work: • if the person usually travels to a depot to start work, provide the depot address • otherwise enter ‘None’ in the ‘Suburb/Locality’ box. This information is used to calculate daytime populations and to plan transport activities. More information Street number Street name (examples: Graham Avenue, George Street) Suburb/Locality State/Territory Postcode Property/Building name (if any)

More information

Additional information relating to the question on: For the main job held last week, what was the person’s workplace address?

More information

For the main job held last week, what was Person 1's workplace address? For people who work from home for an employer, write the employer's workplace address. For people with no fixed place of work: • if the person usually travels to a depot to start work, provide the depot address • otherwise enter ‘None’ in the ‘Suburb/Locality’ box. This information is used to calculate daytime populations and to plan transport activities. More information If the complete address is not known, please provide as much of the address as possible. Include the name of the building or property where the person works, if known. For Norfolk Island and other external territories, such as Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Jervis Bay, please select 'Other external territory' in the State/Territory box. For people currently working from home due to lockdown or other COVID-related reasons, write the employer's workplace address.

How this variable is created

The variable is created when the data for Distance to work (ranges) (DTWP) variable is processed. A code is assigned to the record depending on which method was used to derive distance to work. A straight-line distance is only used where the data is not available to calculate based on a road network, or the straight-line distance of the commute is greater than 250 kilometres. 

A straight-line distance is likely to underrepresent the true distance of a commuting route, so a correction factor is incorporated by multiplying the straight-line distance by 1.3. This value was selected based on ABS analysis on the difference between road network and straight-line distance, and the value also aligned closely with similar studies. The source of road network data was Navteq November 2021 (produced by HERE Technology) to ensure a representative network with updates as close to Census Night as possible.

History and changes

This variable was first introduced in 2016.

In 2021 category 3 'Did not commute' was added. In 2016 persons who did not commute were coded under category 1 and 2. 

Data use considerations

This variable does not have a non-response rate as it is created by using responses from more than one question on the Census form.

Lockdown

A number of regions across the country were in various stages of lockdown on Census Night, and the week preceding it, resulting in a greater number of people working from their homes. Not only may this impact their responses for their place of work, but also, their travel to work. Guidance on how to correctly respond was provided at the time on the Census website, as follows:

Answering questions about your workplace and job role

If you are currently working from home due to COVID-19 restrictions, but usually attend a workplace, please write the employer's usual workplace address.

Answering questions about whether you had a job

If you were employed in the four weeks prior to the current lockdown period, but haven't been able to work in the last week due to lockdown or requirement to self-isolate, please select 'Yes, but absent on holidays, on paid leave, on strike or temporarily stood down'.

Answering questions about your workplace and job role

If you were employed in the four weeks prior to the current lockdown period, but haven't been able to work in the last week due to COVID-19 restrictions or requirement to self-isolate, please answer all questions reflecting your usual occupation. This includes your role (such as occupation and tasks performed) and information about your employer (such as industry and number of employees). 

Related variables and glossary terms

  • Place of usual residence (PURP)
  • Place of work (POWP)
  • Distance to work (ranges) (DTWP)
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