Population

Overview

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates for each cell in the ABS Population Grid (2021) were calculated in the following way:

  • Population estimates at the SA1 level were disaggregated (spread out) across the Population Grid and Mesh Block areas (Australian Statistical Geography Standard Edition 3) using probabilistic methods, partly based on 2021 Census counts (person-level).
  • With this level of disaggregation, drive times and population estimates could be calculated for small areas (one square kilometre resolution), and results could be produced for any geographic level based on Mesh Blocks.

Details

Note: Where relevant, geographic boundaries refer to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard Edition 3.

Data inputs

  • [A1] Address counts (Geocoded National Address File, G-NAF), by Australian Population Grid and Mesh Block, May 2022[1]
  • [P1] Persons, by Australian Population Grid, 30 June 2021[2]
  • [P2] Persons, by Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1), 30 June 2021 (preliminary)[3]
  • [C1] Persons (Census counts), by Mesh Block, 2021[4]
  • [I1] Persons, by Indigenous status, by Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1), 30 June 2021[5]

Procedure summary

Below, square brackets are used to indicate inputs and curly brackets are used to indicate results.

  • [A1] used to split [P1] by Population Grid and Mesh Block → {R1} Persons, by Population Grid and Mesh Block
  • [C1] used to adjust [R1] → {R2} Persons, by Population Grid and Mesh Block
  • [P2] used to benchmark [R2] → {R3} Persons, by Population Grid and Mesh Block
  • [P1] used to benchmark [R3] → {R4} Persons, by Population Grid and Mesh Block
  • [I1] used to approximate Indigenous splits within [R4] → {R5} Persons, by Indigenous status, by Population Grid and Mesh Block

Limitations

The smallest geographic level for which Estimated Resident Populations (ERPs) are officially prepared and validated by the ABS is SA2. In this report, population estimates that are low, cover small areas, or are more geographically isolated are subject to greater relative error. For example, estimates of the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in small remote communities should be treated as indicative only.

Population disaggregation via proxy data (in this case: Census counts, total populations and G-NAF addresses) is an imperfect process. Proxy data may not be accurate or representative of the target population’s distribution.

Population data from 2021 were used, as these were the best available at the time of analysis. Where preliminary ERPs have been used, there may be discrepancies with other revised or final ABS estimates.


Notes:

  1. Geoscape Australia (May 2022) Geocoded National Address File (G-NAF) [data set], accessed [via Data.gov.au] 19 May 2022.
  2. ABS (2021) ‘Australian population grid in ESRI Grid format, 2016 to 2021' [Population grid files], Regional population, accessed 7 September 2022.
  3. ABS (2023) ‘Estimated Resident Population by Statistical Area Level 1 – 30 June 2011 to 2022’ [customised report], Queensland Government Statistician’s Office, accessed 31 March 2023.
  4. ABS (2021) ‘2021 Census Mesh Block counts' [data set], Census mesh block counts, accessed 29 July 2022.
  5. IPF estimates prepared by the AIHW (AIHW 2024d).
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