Glossary of research and policy terms

The following list provides definitions for common research and policy terms used by the Department of Transport. If you require a definition for terms that are not included in this list, or would like further clarification on any of the terms used, please contact us.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | j k | L |
M | n | O | P | q | R | S | T | U | V | w x y z

A

Abatement
Reducing the degree or intensity of, or eliminating, pollution.

ABS population projections
The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces population projections on a regular basis. These are statistical projections for large geographic areas - Australia, the States, capital cities and balance of states. The most recent set was released in 2004, covering the years 2003 to 2101 (ABS cat no. 3222.0). ABS projections usually include multiple sets of assumptions about fertility rates, mortality rates, overseas migration numbers and interstate migration numbers. The most recent set of projections produces 72 different series, with three main series (A, B and C). Series B is the most commonly used series and is known as the "medium" series.

Acid deposition
A complex chemical and atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds and other substances are transformed by chemical processes in the atmosphere, often far from the original sources, and then deposited on earth in either wet or dry form. The wet forms, popularly called "acid rain," can fall to earth as rain, snow, or fog. The dry forms are acidic gases or particulates.

Airborne particulates
Total suspended particulate matter found in the atmosphere as solid particles or liquid droplets. Chemical composition of particulates varies widely, depending on location and time of year. Sources of airborne particulates include: dust, emissions from industrial processes, combustion products from the burning of wood and coal, combustion products associated with motor vehicle or non-road engine exhausts, and reactions to gases in the atmosphere.

Air pollution
The presence of contaminants or pollutant substances in the air that interfere with human health or welfare, or produce other harmful environmental effects..

Alternative fuels
Substitutes for traditional liquid, oil-derived motor vehicle fuels like gasoline and diesel. Includes mixtures of alcohol-based fuels with gasoline, methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, and others.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
Australia's official statistical agency, whose functions are outlined in the Census and Statistics Act 1905 and other legislation. Many of the definitions supplied on this page are those used by the ABS. The ABS is responsible for producing official statistics including national accounts figures, population estimates, and the 5-yearly Census of Population and Households. Visit the ABS website.

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B

Baby boomers
Those people born in Australia between the end of the Second World War (1945) and the mid 1960's (usually 1965).

Banking
In transport energy policy, banking refers to a system for recording qualified air emission reductions for later use in bubble, offset, or netting transactions. (See: emissions trading.)

Bioenergy
Bioenergy refers to the conversion of biomass to energy, e.g. electricity, gas or biofuel.

Biofuel
Biofuel is the fuel produced by the chemical and/or biological processing of biomass. Biofuel will either be a solid (e.g. charcoal), liquid (e.g. ethanol) or gas (e.g. methane).

Biomass
Biomass is a natural resource. It refers to materials derived from photosynthesis which are not fossilised such as forest and mill residues, agricultural crops and wastes, wood and wood wastes, animal wastes, livestock operation residues, aquatic plants, fast-growing trees and plants, and municipal and industrial wastes.

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C

Catalytic converter: An air pollution abatement device that removes pollutants from motor vehicle exhaust, either by oxidizing them into carbon dioxide and water or reducing them to nitrogen.

CBD
The central business district (CBD) of Melbourne is the commercial centre of Melbourne, and is usually regarded as the area bounded by Spring, Flinders, Spencer and La Trobe Streets.

Census
A census consists of the collection, compilation and publication of demographic, economic and social information relating to all persons in a country or area defined by specific boundaries at a particular time (United Nations 1969, Principles and Recommendations for the 1970 Population Censuses). A census differs from a survey as it covers the entire population rather than a segment or sample of the population.

Census of Population and Households
The Census of Population and Households in Australia is carried out every 5 years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The objective of the Census is to take a snapshot of the number and characteristics of the people in Australia at one point in time. The most recent Australian Census was conducted in 2006.

Collection District (CD)
The smallest geographical area defined by the ABS, used for the collection of census information. In urban areas, there is an average of 225 dwellings in each CD. In rural areas the numbers of dwellings per CD declines as population densities decrease. CDs are defined for each census and are only current at census time. They cover, in aggregate, the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps. There are approximately 7900 CDs in Victoria.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): An alternative fuel for motor vehicles; considered one of the cleanest because of low hydrocarbon emissions and its vapours are relatively non-ozone producing. However, vehicles fuelled with CNG do emit a significant quantity of nitrogen oxides.

Congestion pricing
Payment to access a road - or area within a cordon - to manage peak-period demands placed on various sections of the network. Depending on objectives and technology used, charges may be adjusted by the time-of-day, level of congestion present or type of vehicle being driven.

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D

Daytime population
The actual population in a region measured at key times (or continually) across the day. Daytime population measures are useful for the planning of emergency services, transportation networks, public infrastructure and services, business locations, etc. This measure can differ significantly to the Census estimate of population, which is based on where people normally sleep at night.

Demand responsive public transport
Public transport that only runs when there is a passenger demand for the service, rather than to a fixed timetable.

Demography
The scientific and statistical study of population and in particular the size of populations, their development and structure. It therefore focuses on the empirical, mathematical and statistical analysis of births and fertility, deaths and mortality and migration processes and their effects on population size, structure, composition and distribution and on the causes and consequences of changes in these variables.

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E

Economic growth
The increase of the productive capacity and output of a country (or region), usually measured in terms of Gross National Product.

Emission factor
The relationship between the amount of pollution produced and the amount of raw material processed. For example, an emission factor for a blast furnace making iron would be the number of pounds of particulates per ton of raw materials.

Emission inventory
A listing, by source, of the amount of air pollutants discharged into the atmosphere of a community; used to establish emission standards.

Emission standard
The maximum amount of air polluting discharge legally allowed from a single source, mobile or stationary.

Emissions trading
Places caps on total emissions over specified periods of time, issues permits for emissions in quantities that correspond to these caps, requires firms to hold permits for any emissions that they generate, and allows trade in permits amongst firms

Employed
Those persons aged 15 years or more who are

in paid employment for one hour or more per week
employers, self-employed persons or unpaid family helpers who worked in the family business or farm for one hour or more per week
were employees with a job who were on leave, stood down or on strike, on workers' compensation or doing paid study, or
employers, self-employed persons or unpaid family helpers not at work.

Energy efficiency
Using less energy to perform the same function

Enumerated population
The number of people counted in a particular area on census night, including temporary visitors and excluding residents who were absent on census night.

Estimated Resident Population (ERP)
The official Australian Bureau of Statistics estimate of the Australian population. The ERP is based on results of the Census and is compiled at 30 June each census year and updated for Australia, States and Territories quarterly between censuses, and annually for statistical local areas. The intercensal estimates are revised each time the census is taken.

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F

Forced car ownership
Financial pressure applied to low-income households through a need to buy, maintain and operate (typically two or more) vehicles due to a lack of transport alternatives.

Fossil fuels
Coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and fuels derived from crude oil (including petrol and diesel). They are called fossil fuels because they have been formed over long periods of time from ancient fossilised organic matter.

Fuel efficiency
The proportion of energy released by fuel combustion that is converted into useful energy.

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G

Global warming
An increase in the near surface temperature of the Earth. Global warming has occurred in the distant past as the result of natural influences, but the term is most often used to refer to the warming predicted to occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse effect
The warming of the Earth's atmosphere attributed to a build-up of carbon dioxide or other gases; some scientists think that this build-up allows the sun's rays to heat the Earth, while making the infra-red radiation atmosphere opaque to infra-red radiation, thereby preventing a counterbalancing loss of heat.

Greenhouse gases
Gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and from human activity, that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation. Water vapour (H2O) is the most abundant greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases are a natural part of the atmosphere and include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride.

Growth areas
Local government areas identified by high rates of dwelling growth and population growth. In Victoria they currently include Cardinia, Casey, Hume, Melton, Whittlesea and Wyndham.

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H

Housing affordability
The issue of the ability of purchasers or renters to afford housing appropriate to their needs, and in a location that provides access to jobs, education or services. An examination of housing affordability will generally relate to the amount of disposable income required to rent or buy housing and can also include assessment of other related costs (for example, increased transport costs due to location of housing).

Housing stress
Housing stress is commonly accepted as the situation where households in the bottom 40% of the household income distribution have housing costs that exceed 30% of their disposable income.

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I

Income
This is the usual gross weekly income of all people aged 15 years and over. It is the income before tax, superannuation, health insurance, and other deductions. It includes income from family allowance and supplement, pensions, unemployment benefits, student allowance, maintenance (child support), superannuation, wages, salary, overtime, dividends, rents received, interest received, farm or business income (less operation expenses) and workers compensation. Household income is the sum of the personal incomes of each resident present in the household.

Income quartiles
Income quartiles simply divide the population, based on its income recorded by the Census, into four groups that contain equal numbers of people for a large geographical area (such as Victoria). The range of incomes that covers each of these one-quarter of the population groups can then be used to compare to other areas to see what proportion of the population fits into each of the income quartiles. Income quartiles can be calculated for individuals and for households.

While household incomes provide some measure of well-being, they should not be used to interpret growth or declines in well-being at an individual level. For instance, where household size is declining, household incomes may also show some decline without necessarily impacting upon the well-being of individuals in those households.

Induced travel demand
Applied to provision of road infrastructure, induced demand refers to the phenomena of additional traffic being generated (above baseline measures) by the creation of new road capacity.

Industry
The type of industry in which persons are employed. Industries were classified according to the Australian Standard Industrial Classification (ASIC) until the publication in 2006 of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC). The main tasks that a person performed in the main job held during the week prior to Census night and the name and address of the employer are used to determine the industry of employment.

Infrastructure
The installations and facilities that provide a fundamental framework for an economy, facilitating industrial, agricultural and other forms of economic development. It includes the provision of transport, communication, power supplies and other public utilities.

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L

Labour force
People aged 15 years and over who are employed, or unemployed and actively looking for work.

Labour intensive
A form of production in which a high proportion of labour is used relative to the amount of land or capital employed.

Local Government Area (LGA)
The geographical area for which an incorporated local government council is responsible.

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M

Market Segmentation Study (2006)

In 2006, the Department of Transport commissioned LEK consultancy to conduct on its behalf a market segmentation study of metropolitan Melbourne. This involved more than 5,000 quantitative telephone interviews of 20 minutes duration that investigated market views on public transport.

Specifically the interviews asked respondents about:

their general travel behaviour
specifics about how they travelled for work, study, shopping/errands and social/special events
their experience of public transport, and
other important public transport issues.

As part of the study, Melbourne was divided into 500 'market segmentation zones'. Each of the 5,000 respondents was geographically coded to one of these zones, which provides the ability to profile specific geographical areas according to public transport attitudes and behaviours. As such, the Victorian Transport Statistics Portal is able to provide results for many questions at an LGA level (Melbourne metropolitan area only). There was not sufficient sample size to allow for reporting at an SLA level.

Melbourne metropolitan area
This area covers the metropolitan area of Melbourne, including outlying towns such as Werribee, Melton, Sunbury, Craigieburn, Healesville and Pakenham as well as the Mornington Peninsula. This area is equivalent to the 31 Melbourne Local Government Areas and is also referred to as the 'Melbourne region'.

Melbourne Statistical Division (MSD)
This area covers the same area as the Melbourne metropolitan area except for the upper part of Yarra Ranges Shire. The MSD is defined by the ABS and is sometimes used as a more convenient geographical area in preference to the Melbourne metropolitan area. In 2001 there was only a difference of 567 persons in the Melbourne metropolitan area, compared to the MSD.

Metadata
Information about data or data sets. Metadata is essential for the user to determine correct use of a data set.

Migration
The movement of people from one area to another. This movement may take place within a city or region, between different States (interstate migration) or between different countries (overseas migration).

MITM (Melbourne Integrated Transport Model)
Strategic transport model of the Melbourne metropolitan area, incorporating highway and public transport networks. MITM is used to test and assess transport policies and strategies, predict future demands on the transport network, and analyse the potential impacts of road, public transport and land-use planning projects.

Mobile population
A term which recognises the dynamic nature of populations. Increasingly, people are travelling more and living or working in multiple locations. Most population data counts people in a single location, therefore a full understanding of population change and servicing needs requires consideration of population mobility.

Mode of travel
The actual method(s) of travel being used on a trip, such as walk, bicycle, taxi, train, tram, bus, car driver, car passenger, motorbike etc. In the Census of Population and Housing, this term is used for the method of travel to work (where up to three methods are recorded) for each person aged 15 years or more who was employed during the week before the census.

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O

Occupation
The type of work carried out regardless of the industry in which it is performed. This variable was coded using the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) Second Edition until the introduction in 2006 of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). The Occupation code assigned is based on the main job held during the week prior to Census night.

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P

Participation rate
The ratio of the labour force to the civilian population aged 15 years or more.

Particulates
Fine liquid or solid particles such as dust, smoke, mist, fumes, or smog, found in air or emissions.

Peak oil
Point in time at which the maximum rate of oil production is reached, equivalent to the midpoint of oil resource depletion.

Peak population
A measure of the highest population level which an area might experience. Coastal, alpine or other locations which attract greater numbers of people at particular times of the year generally have a great variation in their population level. Because the provision of infrastructure and services needs to take peak capacity requirements into consideration, a knowledge of estimated peak populations is important to governments.

Population projections
Estimates of the future size and characteristics of a population, based on the pattern of past trends and the predicted future pattern of births, deaths, migration and land availability.

Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
Partnerships between the public sector and the private sector for the purposes of designing, planning, financing, constructing and/or operating projects which would be regarded traditionally as falling within the remit of the public sector.

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R

Refueling emissions
Emissions released during vehicle refueling.

Renewable energy
Energy derived from naturally replenishing or recurring sources. This includes biofuels, hydro-electricity, solar power, wind power and geothermal power.

Running losses
Evaporation of motor vehicle fuel from the fuel tank while the vehicle is in use.

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S

Statistical Division (SD)
Geographical area defined by the ABS, consisting of one or more statistical subdivisions and covering, in aggregate, the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps. They do not cross State or Territory boundaries and are the largest statistical area building blocks of States and Territories. There are 11 statistical divisions in Victoria.

Statistical Local Area (SLA)
Geographical area defined by the ABS which consists of one or more Census Collection Districts (CDs). SLAs are generally smaller than LGAs. They cover, in aggregate, the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps. There are 199 SLAs in Victoria.

Statistical Subdivision (SSD)
A geographical area created by the ABS for statistical purposes. Victoria is divided into 45 SSDs. SLAs aggregate to SSDs and SSDs aggregate to SDs.

Suburb
A district within the metropolitan area which lies within commuting distance of the centre, and which can have a distinct social and urban identity. Suburbs are registered with the Victorian Registrar of Geographic Names and published in the Victorian Government Gazette.

Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainable energy
Sustainable energy is about meeting current energy needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their economic, social and environmental needs.

Surveys of Travel Attitudes and Behaviours

The Department of Transport has commissioned a number of studies of travel attitudes and behaviours to help it to understand the Melbourne and Victorian travel market. These include the Market Segmentation Study (2006) and the Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity 2007 (VISTA 07).

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T

Teleworking
Use of telecommunication technology as a substitution for work-related travel. This can be used to increase business efficiency, such as the use of video-conferencing facilities in place of interstate travel for meetings. Teleworking (or telecommuting) also allows for greater flexibility in relation to staff working arrangements, allowing work to be completed away from a central office location (typically from a home-office or a 'satellite' work centre).

Transport disadvantage
The inability to reach desired activities within a reasonable time and cost. This can stem from:

Service factors: transport services being unavailable, physically inaccessible, or not travelling where and when people want travel.
Individual factors: mobility constraints due to frailty, physical impairments or mental illness; low income and associated transport affordability pressures; perceived personal safety; travel dependency on others; and cultural and language barriers.
Administrative factors: lack of appropriate transport information for specific users; restricted eligibility for transport support programs.
Locational factors: transport services inaccessible due to local topography, local subdivision design, lack of supporting infrastructure (e.g. footpaths and lighting), and local amenity and safety (e.g. arterial road barriers).

TravelSmart
A travel behaviour change and grants program aimed at reducing the reliance on private car travel and encouraging greater use of sustainable travel alternatives. Visit the TravelSmart website.

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U

Unemployed
Persons who have no paid employment but are actively seeking work.

Unemployment rate
The number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force.

Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)
The boundary placed around Melbourne beyond which land may not be rezoned for residential or industrial use. The UGB has been implemented as part of the Melbourne 2030 planning strategy.

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V

VATS (Victorian Activity and Travel Survey)
VATS was a household activity and travel survey conducted by the Transport Research Centre for the Department of Infrastructure. The survey ran continuously from 1994 to 2002, with every day of the year covered in this period. Approximately 5000 randomly selected households from the Melbourne metropolitan area participated each year, with all household members completing a travel diary for one specified day. The methodology used was a mail-out/mail-back self completion questionnaire. VATS has now been replaced by the Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity (VISTA).

Vehicle
Vehicles for the purpose of the census are registered motor vehicles which are owned or used by members of a household and which were garaged or parked near the occupied private dwelling on census night. Company-owned vehicles kept at home are included, but motor bikes, scooters and tractors are excluded.

VISTA (Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity)
VISTA provides detailed information on the personal travel and activity patterns of Victorians. VISTA is a self-completion travel diary, with each member of participating households completing the survey for one day of the year. See the VISTA page for more details.

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