Adoption—Indigenous status, code N
Data Element Attributes
Identifying and definitional attributes | |
Metadata item type: | Data Element |
|---|---|
| Short name: | Indigenous status |
| METEOR identifier: | 729914 |
| Registration status: | Children and Families, Standard 20/01/2021 |
| Definition: | Whether an adoptive parent identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, as represented by a code. This is in accord with the first two of three components of the Commonwealth definition. |
| Context: | Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples occupy a unique place in Australian society and culture. In the current climate of reconciliation, 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 wellbeing and to account for government expenditure in this area. The purpose of this metadata item is to provide information about people who identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. Agencies or establishments wishing to determine the eligibility of individuals for particular benefits, services or rights will need to make their own judgments about the suitability of the standard measure for these purposes, having regard to the specific eligibility criteria for the program concerned. |
| Data Element Concept: | Adoption—Indigenous status |
| Value Domain: | Adoption Indigenous status code N |
Value domain attributes | ||
Representational attributes | ||
| Representation class: | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Data type: | Number | |
| Format: | N | |
| Maximum character length: | 1 | |
| Value | Meaning | |
| Permissible values: | 1 | Indigenous Australian |
| 2 | Non-Indigenous | |
| Supplementary values: | 9 | Not stated/Inadequately described |
Collection and usage attributes | |
| Guide for use: | This metadata item is based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) standard for Indigenous status. For detailed advice on its use and application please refer to the ABS website as indicated in the Reference documents. The classification for Indigenous status has a hierarchical structure comprising two levels. There are four categories at the detailed level of the classification which are grouped into two categories at the broad level. There is one supplementary category for 'Not stated/inadequately described' responses. The classification is as follows: Indigenous Australians:
Non-Indigenous Australians:
Not stated/inadequately described: This category is not to be available as a valid answer to the questions but is intended for use:
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| Comments: | This metadata item is based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) standard for Indigenous status. For information on the Indigenous status standard refer to the Person—Indigenous status, code N data element. |
Source and reference attributes | |
| Submitting organisation: | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
|---|---|
| Steward: | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
Data element attributes | |
Collection and usage attributes | |
| Collection methods: | The standard question for Indigenous Status is as follows: [Are you] [Is the person] [Is (name)] of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin? This question is recommended for self-enumerated or interview-based collections. It can also be used in circumstances where a close relative, friend, or another member of the household is answering on behalf of the subject. It is strongly recommended that this question be asked directly wherever possible. When someone is not present, the person answering for them should be in a position to do so, i.e. this person must know well the person about whom the question is being asked and feel confident to provide accurate information about them. This question must always be asked regardless of data collectors' perceptions based on appearance or other factors.
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| Comments: | The following definition, commonly known as 'The Commonwealth Definition', was given in a High Court judgement in the case of Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 46 ALR 625. 'An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community in which he or she lives'. There are three components to the Commonwealth definition:
In practice, it is not feasible to collect information on the community acceptance part of this definition in general purpose statistical and administrative collections and therefore standard questions on Indigenous status relate to descent and self-identification only. |
Source and reference attributes | |
| Submitting organisation: | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
| Steward: | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
| Reference documents: | Australian Bureau of Statistics 2014. Indigenous Status Standard Version 1.5, Canberra. Viewed 29 September 2015, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/ Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010. National best practice guidelines for collecting Indigenous status in health data sets. Cat. no. IHW 29. Canberra: AIHW. Viewed 29 September 2015, http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442468342. |
Relational attributes | |
| Related metadata references: | Supersedes Adoption—Indigenous status, code N Children and Families, Superseded 20/01/2021 See also Person—Indigenous status, code N Aged Care, Standard 30/06/2023 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Standard 20/02/2026 Children and Families, Standard 20/01/2021 Disability, Standard 29/02/2016 Early Childhood, Superseded 12/08/2025 Health, Standard 19/11/2015 Homelessness, Standard 10/08/2018 Housing assistance, Standard 30/08/2017 Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (retired), Qualified 23/11/2015 Indigenous, Standard 16/10/2017 Tasmanian Health (retired), Superseded 10/11/2023 Youth Justice, Standard 15/02/2022 |
| Implementation in Data Set Specifications: | |