Housing circumstances

Measures

• Number of First Nations households.


• Proportion (%) of households that were First Nations households.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).


• Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.

Notes

• First Nations households are occupied private dwellings where at least one usual resident identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.


• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Households where the First Nations status of usual residents was not stated are included in the total.


• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations households, by household composition.

Household composition categories

• One family household


• Lone person household


• Two family household


• Three of more family household


• Group household.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).


• Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.

Notes

• Household composition indicates whether a family is present or not and whether or not other unrelated household members are present.
  
  
  
  • 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.
  
  
  • Each separately identified couple relationship, lone parent-child relationship or other blood relationship forms the basis of a family. Some households contain more than one family.
  
  
  • Non-related persons living in the same household are not counted as family members (unless under 15 years of age).
  
  
  • Other related individuals (brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles) may be present in the household. If more than one family is present these people can only be associated with the primary family.
  
  
  
  


• If more than three families are found in a household, only three families are separately classified and any other people are classified as either related family members or non-family members as appropriate.


• A person is coded as an ‘Unrelated individual living in a family household’ if they are not related to any other members of the household, but other household members are related to one another. Family type and other family variables are ‘Not applicable’ for such people, but their household composition will be ‘Family households’.


• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households which could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households which could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations families, by family composition (based on familial relationships).

Family composition categories

• Couple family with no children


• Couple family with children under 15


• Couple family with no children under 15


• One parent family with children under 15


• One parent family with no children under 15


• Other family.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).


• Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.

Notes

• The Family Composition variable distinguishes between different types of families based on the presence or absence of couple relationships, parent-child relationships, child dependency relationships or other familial relationships, in that order of preference.
  
  
  
  • 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.
  
  
  • Each separately identified couple relationship, lone parent-child relationship or other blood relationship forms the basis of a family. Some households contain more than one family.
  
  
  • Non-related persons living in the same household are not counted as family members (unless under 15 years of age).
  
  
  • Other related individuals (brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles) may be present in the household. If more than one family is present these people can only be associated with the primary family.
  
  
  
  


• Non-classifiable households were excluded from the total. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations households, by the number of usual residents.

Number of usual resident(s) categories

• One person


• Two persons


• Three or four persons


• Five or six persons


• Seven or more persons.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).


• Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.

Notes

• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations household by tenure type.

Tenure type categories

• Owned outright


• Owned with a mortgage


• Rented (private and other)


• Rented (social housing)


•  

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.


• Data have been suppressed if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 50% or more of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.


• Data have been flagged as interpret with caution if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 25–<50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.

Notes

• ‘Owned’ homes include those owned without a mortgage, owned with a mortgage, and those being purchased under a shared equity scheme.


• ‘Rented (Private and other landlord)’ homes include those being rented from a real estate agent, person not in the same household, or other landlord type.


• ‘Rented (Social housing)’ homes include those being rented from a state/territory housing authority, housing co-operative, community or church group.


• Denominator excludes households for which tenure type or landlord type was not stated.


• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations household by weekly household rent and rental type.

Weekly household rent categories

• Less than $125


• $125–$199


• $200–$274


• $275–$349


• $350–$449


• $450 and over.

Rental type categories

• Private and other landlord type


• Social housing.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).


• Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.


• Data have been suppressed if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 50% or more of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.


• Data have been flagged as interpret with caution if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 25–<50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.

Notes

• Private and other landlord type includes homes being rented from a real estate agent, person not in the same household, or other landlord type.


• Social housing includes homes being rented from a state/territory housing authority, housing co-operative, community or church group.


• Values reflect Australian dollars in August 2021.


• Nil payments are included in ‘Less than $125’.


• Excludes households for which rent value was not stated.


• Excludes households for which landlord type was not stated.


• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations households that were appropriately sized.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).


• Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.


• Data have been suppressed if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 50% or more of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.


• Data have been flagged as interpret with caution if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 25–<50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.

Notes

• This measure is based on the Housing Suitability variable, which compares the number of bedrooms in a dwelling with a series of household demographics, such as the number of usual residents, their relationship to each other, age and sex. The criteria are based on the Canadian National Occupancy Standard (CNOS).


• Appropriately sized housing means the CNOS criteria are met by the number of bedrooms.


• Excludes households for which Housing Suitability could not be determined.


• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations households by overcrowding status.

Overcrowding status categories

• Overcrowded


• Not overcrowded.

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).


• Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.


• Data have been suppressed if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 50% or more of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.


• Data have been flagged as interpret with caution if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 25–<50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.

Notes

• This measure is based on the Housing Suitability variable, which compares the number of bedrooms in a dwelling with a series of household demographics, such as the number of usual residents, their relationship to each other, age and sex. The criteria are based on the Canadian National Occupancy Standard (CNOS).


• Overcrowded households are those which would require at least one extra bedroom to accommodate the usual residents, in accordance with the CNOS.


• Excludes households for which Housing Suitability could not be determined.


• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Proportion (%) of First Nations households by number of extra bedrooms needed/spare.

Bedrooms needed/spare categories

• One or more needed


• One or more spare


• Non needed or spare


•  

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG), Indigenous Areas (IARE), Indigenous Locations (ILOC).


• Non-ABS structures: Local Government Areas (LGA).

Suppression

• Data have been suppressed if the denominator for the percentage was less than 100, due to concerns about the reliability of percentages based on small denominators.


• Data have been suppressed if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 50% or more of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.


• Data have been flagged as interpret with caution if responses to the relevant data item(s) were not stated or adequately described for 25–<50% of the relevant population, due to relatively high exposure to potential bias.

Notes

• This measure is based on the Housing Suitability variable, which compares the number of bedrooms in a dwelling with a series of household demographics, such as the number of usual residents, their relationship to each other, age and sex. The criteria are based on the Canadian National Occupancy Standard (CNOS).


• Non-classifiable households were excluded. These include visitor only households, occupied households that could not be contacted, households containing only persons aged under 15, households that could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.

Measure

Estimated number of First Nations people who were counted as homeless on Census night (meeting criteria of one or more of the ABS’ Homeless Operational Groups).

Data period

Census night (10 August) 2021

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census of Population and Housing (Census) (ABS 2022a).

Region types

• Main structure: Australia, states and territories, Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3).


• Indigenous structure: Indigenous Regions (IREG).

Suppression

Data have been suppressed if the total count was under 3.

Notes

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been underenumerated in the Census and therefore, estimates of homelessness based on Census data will be an underestimation.


• The ABS’ definition of homelessness has been developed for application to the general population in Australia.


• People counted as homeless were assigned to one of 6 Homeless Operational Groups, following an ordered hierarchy:

1. Persons living in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out


2. Persons living in short term supported accommodation for the homeless


3. Persons staying temporarily with other households


4. Persons living in boarding houses


5. Persons living temporarily in other lodgings


6. Persons living in severely crowded dwellings

For example, people who usually lived in severely crowded households but were living in an improvised dwelling, tent or sleeping out on Census night would be counted within the 1st operational group and not the 6th.

• The Homeless Operational Group, “Persons living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings”, refers to usual residents in dwellings needing 4 or more extra bedrooms under the Canadian National Occupancy Standard (CNOS).
  
  
  
  • This group is included as homeless on the basis that individual residents are unlikely to have control of and access to space for social relations.
  
  
  • Some people in this operational group may not consider themselves to be homeless.
  
  
  • In some areas, like Very Remote parts of the Northern Territory, severe overcrowding is particularly common among First Nations households. In such areas, First Nations Australians enumerated in this operational group can make up over 90% of the First Nations population counted as homeless.
  
  
  
  


• Geographical breakdowns were based on Place of Enumeration. Some people may have been away from their usual residence (where applicable) on the night of the Census.


• Data have been randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality. No reliance should be placed on small numbers.