Glossary
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
The ABS provides statistics on a wide range of economic, industry, environment and energy, people and regional matters, covering government, business and the community in general.
affordable housing
Housing that is affordable for households on low to moderate incomes, when housing costs are low enough to enable the household to meet other basic long‑term living costs. For example, housing costs should be less than 30 per cent of household income for occupants in the bottom 40 per cent of household incomes.
average household size
The average number of people per household in a given area.
Baby Boomers
The term Baby Boomers is used in various ways, often to denote the segment of the population born any time between 1945 and 1965. In this report the focus is particularly on the birth cohort from 1946 to 1961, with some analysis extending the cohort up to the 20‑year span. 
Census
The Census of Population and Housing, carried out every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It aims to accurately measure the number of people in Australia on Census night, and to gather information on their key characteristics and the dwellings in which they live. Census 2011 is the most recent Australian Census for which data is available. 
Council of Australian Governments (COAG)
COAG is the peak intergovernmental forum in Australia, comprising the Prime Minister, State premiers, Territory chief ministers and the president of the Australian Local Government Association. COAG’s role is to initiate, develop and monitor the implementation of policy reforms that are of national significance and require cooperative action by all levels of government.
COAG Reform Council review of capital city strategic planning systems 
The COAG Reform Council report was commissioned by COAG to independently review the consistency of capital city strategic planning systems against nine criteria. The report was publicly released on 2 April 2012.
Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA)
A non‑taxable Commonwealth Government supplementary payment added on to the benefit or family payment of people who rent in the private rental market above applicable rent thresholds.
conversion
Conversions are additional dwellings created by alterations or additions to residential buildings, conversions of non‑residential buildings to residential buildings, or construction of non‑residential buildings. Throughout this report conversions are taken to be from non‑residential buildings to residential buildings — specifically those that add to housing supply but are not counted as a housing ‘completion’.
dwelling approval
Permission to commence construction of a building, such as a building permit issued by local government authorities and other principal certifying authorities, contract let or day labour work authorised by Commonwealth, State/Territory, semi‑government and local government authorities, or major building approval in areas not subject to normal administrative approval, for example building on remote mine sites.
dwelling completion
A dwelling is completed when building activity has progressed to the stage where the building can fulfil its intended function.
effective demand
The quantity of housing that owner occupiers, investors and renters are able and willing to buy or rent in the housing market.
equivalised disposal income
Equivalence scales devised to make adjustments to the actual incomes of households in a way that enables analysis of the relative wellbeing of households of different size and composition. For example, it would be expected that a household comprising two people would normally need more income than a one‑person household if the two households are to enjoy the same standard of living.
homelessness
A person is homeless if he or she does not have access to adequate housing that is safe and secure. People who are homeless fall into three broad groups — those who are:
▪	sleeping rough (living on the streets);
▪	living in temporary accommodation, such as crisis accommodation or with friends or relatives;  and 
▪	staying in boarding houses or caravan parks with no secure lease and no private facilities.
household
The household is the basic unit of analysis in this publication. A household consists of one or more people, at least one of whom is at least 15 years of age, usually resident in the same private dwelling. The people in a household may or may not be related. They must live wholly within one dwelling.
household (or family) reference person
The household member used in Census coding as the starting point for identifying the familial and non-familial relationships of usual residents within a household. 
On the Census form, people are asked to state their relationship to Person 1. If suitable, Person 1 will then be used as the basis for coding family and relationship details. If Person 1 is not the most appropriate reference person, coders assign a reference person based on age, marital status and relationship considerations. A reference person must be a usual resident of the dwelling aged 15 years and over, and also present on Census Night i.e. not temporarily absent. 
household growth scenario
A projection scenario of household growth based on (among other factors) the projected rate of net overseas migration.
housing stress
The condition of households (in the bottom 40 per cent of income distribution) paying more than 30 per cent of their gross income on mortgage or rental repayments.
Housing Supply and Affordability Reform (HSAR) report 
The HSAR report was commissioned by COAG in April 2010 to examine the housing supply pipeline and government policies that may act as barriers to supply or that stimulate demand for housing. The report was authored by the HSAR Working Party, which was made up of representatives from each jurisdiction’s First Minister and Treasury departments. On 30 August 2012, COAG released its HSAR report and agreed to its recommendations.
lower‑income household
A household with income in the bottom 40 per cent of all household income distribution.
National Housing Supply Council (NHSC)
The Council was appointed by the Treasurer and the Minister for Housing and announced by the Prime Minister in May 2008. The Council provides projections, advice and analysis of trends in demand and land availability to measure and assess the supply of land and housing and its relationship with demand to assist the Government in assessing adequacy of supply and future needs for up to 20 years.
infrastructure
The Productivity Commission report (see below) defined infrastructure in general terms as ‘physical and organisational structures that support the operation and functioning of an enterprise or community. Within a community, infrastructure can be separated into categories of economic infrastructure (including water and sewerage, transport, energy distribution and information and communication networks) and social infrastructure (including matters such as schools, police, hospitals and recreation facilities)’. In this report infrastructure generally refers to infrastructure associated with housing and cities such as transport systems, water and sewerage, as well as parks and other recreation spaces. 
negative gearing
A taxation arrangement applicable when costs exceed investment income, under which the loss may be deducted from other taxable income.
net overseas migration
A figure calculated from incoming and outgoing passenger movements at Australian ports maintained by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. A person must have been in Australia for 12 of the previous 16 months to be counted.
net transition probability approach
A statistical approach that projects probable change in household types at the national and sub‑national level. This is the approach used by Macdonald and Temple to produce the Council’s estimates of underlying housing demand.
non‑private dwelling
A non-private dwelling is an establishment that provides a communal type of accommodation. NPDs are classified according to their function. Some examples are hotels, motels, guest houses, jails, religious and charitable institutions, military establishments, hospitals, hostel type accommodation in nursing or retirement villages (not self-contained) and other communal dwellings. Where this type of accommodation includes self-contained units (as provided by hotels, motels, homes for the elderly and guest houses), the units are enumerated as private dwellings depending on the purpose/length of occupancy.  Self-contained units within retirement villages are private dwellings. 
Performance Benchmarking of Australian Business Regulation: Planning, Zoning and Development Assessments (Productivity Commission report) 
The Productivity Commission report was commissioned by COAG in 2009. The report covered the impact planning and zoning systems have on business compliance costs, competition and the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the functioning of cities. The report was released on 16 May 2011.
place of enumeration
The place of enumeration is the place at which a person is counted in the Census — that is where he/she spent Census night, which may not be where he/she usually lives. This count includes people away from their usual residence in another part of the country, and overseas visitors. Overseas visitors to Australia are counted regardless of how long they have been in the country or how long they plan to stay.  The count also includes people on board vessels in or between Australian ports, or on long-distance trains, buses or aircraft.  Australian residents temporarily out of the county on Census Night and overseas diplomatic personnel and their families are out of scope and so excluded from Census counts.
place of usual residence
This is the place where a person usually lives. It may or may not be the place where the person was counted on Census night. Each person is required to state his/her address of usual residence on the Census form. In effect the ABS reallocates people away from home on Census night back to their usual residence. The ABS also excludes overseas visitors.
private dwelling
A private dwelling is defined in the Census as a house, a flat, part of a house, or even a room. It can also be a house attached to, or rooms above, a shop or office, an occupied caravan in a caravan park, a boat in a marina, a houseboat, or a tent. A caravan situated on a residential allotment is also classed as a private dwelling as are self-contained units within retirement villages.
Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)
The RBA is Australia’s central bank. It conducts monetary policy, works to maintain a strong financial system and issues the nation’s currency.
second home
Often referred to as a holiday home, a second home is a dwelling that is owned by, but not the principal residence of, an individual.
semi‑detached, row or terrace house, townhouse
A dwelling that has its own private grounds and no other dwellings above or below but is attached to an adjacent dwelling.
social housing
Rental housing that is provided and/or managed by government or non‑government organisations, including public and community housing.
tenure type
The nature of a person’s or social group’s legal right to occupy a dwelling. Tenure types include owner (fully owned or being purchased with mortgage), renter (private housing or public/community housing), rent free, life tenure scheme, shared equity and rent/buy scheme or other tenure. 
underlying (or latent) demand
The need for housing based on the number of households in the population, rather than the demand actually expressed in the market (effective demand).