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Priority investment approach research DSS

Definition

The Priority Investment Approach (PIA) research data set specification (DSS) defines longitudinal social security information related to Centrelink recipients and their partners. The information defined includes information related to entitlements to benefits, payment information and demographic details (for example, sex, Indigenous status, refugee status and date of birth).​

A Centrelink recipient is a person to whom an Australian Government Centrelink benefit is provided.

A person is considered to be a recipient's partner if the person and recipient live together, or usually live together, and are: married, or in a registered relationship (opposite-sex or same-sex), or in a de facto relationship (opposite-sex or same-sex).

The data set does not include information relating to the Child Care Benefit (CCB) or Child Care Rebate (CCR).

Metadata items in this Data Set Specification

Below is a list of all the components within this Dataset Specification.
Each entry includes the item name, whether the item is optional, mandatory or conditional and the maximum times the item can occur in a dataset.
If the items must occur in a particular order in the dataset, the sequence number is included before the item name.

Reference Clusters Statuses Inclusion #
PIA_Accommodation Cluster
  • [Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Standard]
 mandatory 1
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
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Specific Information:

Household rent frequency refers to the variable HH_RENT_FREQ_CODE in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the household renting.

 conditional 1
PIA_Household—rent payer, code A
Specific Information:

The variable RENT_PAYER_CODE from the PIA research DSS is used to capture the rent payer in the household.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the household renting.

 String 1 conditional 1
PIA_Household—weekly rent paid, total Australian currency N[9].NN
Specific Information:

Weekly household rent amount refers to the variable WEEKLY_HH_RENT_AMT in the PIA research data set.

'Total household rent amount’ is used to create the derived variable, but is not included in the PIA research data set.

For the PIA research DSS the Guide for use information is not applicable.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the household renting.

 Decimal 11 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—government subtenant status, code AAA
Specific Information:

The variable GOVT_SUBTENANT_CODE from the PIA research DSS is used to capture whether the recipient is a sub-tenant in accommodation where the primary tenant pays a subsidised rental for public housing.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the household renting.

 String 3 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—home ownership status, code A
Specific Information:

The variable HOME_CODE from the PIA research DSS is used to capture home ownership status.

 String 1 mandatory 1
Recipient—rent frequency, code XXX
Specific Information:

The variable HH_RENT_FREQ_CODE from the PIA research DSS is used to capture household rent frequency.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient renting.

 String 3 conditional 1
Household: Rent type, Code 0.1
Specific Information:

The variable RENT_TYPE_CODE from the PIA research DSS is used to capture rent type.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient renting.

 String 3 conditional 1
Household: Shared accommodation type, Code 0.1
Specific Information:

Type of shared accommodation refers to the variable ACCOM_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 String 3 mandatory 1
Recipient: Weekly rent paid, Total Australian currency 0.1
Specific Information:

Weekly rent amount refers to the variable WEEKLY_RENT_AMT in the PIA research data set.

‘Total recipient rent amount’ is used to create the derived variable, but is not included in the data set.

For the PIA research DSS the Guide for use information is not applicable.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient renting.

 Decimal 11 conditional 1
PIA_Children Cluster
Conditional Inclusion:

 Conditional on the recipient having dependent children.
  • [Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Standard]
 conditional 1
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
Recipient - Family Tax Benefit Child, Total Number
Specific Information:

Number of Family Tax Benefit children refers to the variable NUM_FTB_CHILD in the PIA research data set.

Up to 16 children may be recorded.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient being eligible for family tax benefit.

 Number 2 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—youngest family tax benefit child date of birth (abbreviated), MMYYYY
Specific Information:

Youngest Family Tax Benefit child date of birth refers to the variable YGEST_FTB_CHD_DOB_SHORT in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient being eligible for family tax benefit.

 Date/Time 6 conditional 1
Recipient—regular care child, total number N[N]
Specific Information:

Number of regular care children refers to the variable NUM_RCC_CHILD in the PIA research data set.

Up to 16 children may be recorded.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having care of a child between 14% and 34% of the time.

 Number 2 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—youngest regular care child date of birth (abbreviated), MMYYYY
Specific Information:

Youngest regular care child date of birth refers to the variable YGEST_RCC_CHD_DOB_SHORT in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having care of a child between 14% and 34% of the time.

 Date/Time 6 conditional 1
Recipient—Double Orphan Pension eligibility indicator, yes/missing code A
Specific Information:

Double Orphan Pension eligibility indicator refers to the variable FTB_DOP_ELIG_IND in the PIA research data set.

 String 1 mandatory 1
Recipient—multiple birth indicator, yes/missing code A
Specific Information:

Multiple birth indicator refers to the variable MUL_BIRTH_ELIG_IND in the PIA research data set.

 String 1 mandatory 1
PIA_Demographics Cluster
  • [Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Standard]
 mandatory 1
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
PIA_Person—citizenship country (abbreviated), code AA
Specific Information:

Although an individual can have up to 7 citizenships, the PIA research DSS only displays the first country of citizenship. This country has been aggregated to Australia, New Zealand or Other.

Country of citizenship refers to the variable CITIZENSHIP in the PIA research data set.

 String 2 mandatory 1
Person—citizenship country, total number N
Specific Information:

Only whole numbers between 1 and 7 inclusive can be recorded for this data element.

Number of citizenships refers to the variable CTZN_NUMBER in the PIA research data set.

 Number 1 mandatory 1
PIA_Person—citizenship date of effect (abbreviated), MMYYYY
Specific Information:

Citizenship date of effect refers to the variable CTRY_CTZN_DOE in the PIA research data set.

 Date/Time 6 mandatory 1
PIA_Person—country of birth, code (SACC 2016) NNNN
Specific Information:

Country of birth refers to the variable BIRTH_CTRY_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 Number 4 mandatory 1
PIA_Person—country of residence, code (SACC 2016) NNNN
Specific Information:

Country of residence refers to the variable ADDR_CTRY_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 Number 4 mandatory 1
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Specific Information:

An abbreviated date of birth (MMYYYY) is used to protect the privacy of recipients.

Date of birth refers to the variable DOB_SHORT in the PIA research data set.

 mandatory 1
PIA_Person—date of death (abbreviated), MMYYYY
Specific Information:

Date of death refers to the variable DOD_SHORT in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the death flag indicating a person's death.

 Date/Time 6 conditional 1
PIA_Person—Indigenous status (abbreviated), code A
Specific Information:

Indigenous status refers to the variable INDIG_STS in the PIA research data set.

 String - mandatory 1
Person—marital status, recipient code AAA
Specific Information:

Marital status refers to the variable MARITAL_STS_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 String 3 mandatory 1
PIA_Person—partner refugee indicator, yes/missing code A
Specific Information:

Partner refugee indicator refers to the variable PTNR_REFUGEE_STS in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a person having a partner.

 String 1 conditional 1
PIA_Person—partner's country of birth, code (SACC 2016) NNNN
Specific Information:

Partner's country of birth refers to the variable PTNR_BIRTH_CTRY_CODE in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a person having a partner.

 Number 4 conditional 1
PIA_Person—partner's date of birth (abbreviated), MMYYYY
Specific Information:

Partner's date of birth refers to the variable PTNR_DOB_SHORT in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a person having a partner.

 Date/Time 6 conditional 1
PIA_Person—partner's Indigenous status, code A
Specific Information:

Partner's Indigenous status refers to the variable PTN_INDIG_STS in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a person having a partner.

 String - conditional 1
PIA_Person—partner's sex/gender, code A
Specific Information:

Partner's sex/gender refers to the variables PTNR_GENDER in the PIA research data set.

The data are collected as ‘sex’ but interpreted as ‘gender’. Values may change over time if an individual’s gender identity alters during their lifetime.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a person having a partner.

 String 1 conditional 1
PIA_Person—preferred spoken language, code (ASCL 2016) N[NNN]
Specific Information:

Preferred spoken language refers to the variables LANG_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 Number 4 mandatory 1
PIA_Person—preferred written language, code (ASCL 2016) N[NNN]
Specific Information:

Preferred written language refers to the variables PREF_LANG_LANG in the PIA research data set.

 Number 4 mandatory 1
Person—refugee indicator, yes/missing code A
Specific Information:

Refugee indicator refers to the variable REFUGEE in the PIA research data set.

 String 1 mandatory 1
PIA_Person—sex/gender, code A
Specific Information:

Sex/gender refers to the variable GENDER in the PIA research data set.

The data are collected as ‘sex’ but interpreted as ‘gender’. Values may change over time if an individual’s gender identity alters during their lifetime.

 String 1 mandatory 1
PIA_Disability Cluster
Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the person being a recipient of, or an applicant for, a Disability Support Pension or Sickness allowance.
  • [Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Standard]
 conditional 1
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
Recipient: Primary medical condition, Code 0.1
Specific Information:

Primary medical condition refers to the variable PRMY_MED_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 String 3 mandatory 1
Recipient—impairment rating for first medical condition, code N[N]
Specific Information:

Impairment rating for first medical condition refers to the variable IMPRMT_RATE1 in the PIA research data set.

 Number 2 mandatory 1
Recipient: Impairment rating for second medical condition, Code 0.1
Specific Information:

Impairment rating for second medical condition refers to the variable IMPRMT_RATE2 in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having a second medical condition.

 Number 2 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—impairment rating for third medical condition, code N[N]
Specific Information:

Impairment rating for third medical condition refers to the variable IMPRMT_RATE3 in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having a third medical condition.

 Number 2 conditional 1
Recipient—impairment rating for fourth medical condition, code N[N]
Specific Information:

Impairment rating for fourth medical condition refers to the variable IMPRMT_RATE4 in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having a fourth medical condition.

 Number 2 conditional 1
Recipient—impairment rating for fifth medical condition, code N[N]
Specific Information:

Impairment rating for fifth medical condition refers to the variable IMPRMT_RATE5 in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having a fifth medical condition.

 Number 2 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—medical condition, total impairment rating NN[N]
Specific Information:

Total impairment rating of medical conditions refers to the variable TOT_IMPRMT_RATE in the PIA research data set.

 Number 3 mandatory 1
Recipient: Primary medical condition permanency, Code 0.1 String 1 mandatory 1
PIA_Recipient—permanency of first medical condition, code A
Specific Information:

Permanency of primary medical condition refers to the variable PERM_CODE1 in the PIA research data set.

 String 1 mandatory 1
PIA_Recipient—permanency of second medical condition, code A
Specific Information:

Permanency of second medical condition refers to the variable PERM_CODE2 in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having a second medical condition.

 String 1 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—permanency of third medical condition, code A
Specific Information:

Permanency of third medical condition refers to the variable PERM_CODE3 in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having a third medical condition.

 String 1 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—permanency of fourth medical condition, code A
Specific Information:

Permanency of third medical condition refers to the variable PERM_CODE4 in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having a fourth medical condition.

 String 1 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—permanency of fifth medical condition, code A
Specific Information:

Permanency of fifth medical condition refers to the variable PERM_CODE5 in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient having a fifth medical condition.

 String 1 conditional 1
Recipient—type of work capacity assessment, employment services/job capacity assessment code AAA
Specific Information:

Job capacity/employment services assessment refers to the variable JCA_ESA_CODE in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a work capacity assessment being undertaken.

 String 3 conditional 1
PIA_Recipient—assessment report date (abbreviated), MMYYYY
Specific Information:

This data element may be completed twice, once for an Employment Services Assessment and once for a Job Capacity Assessment.

Assessment report date of effect refers to the variable ASS_RPT_DATE_SHORT in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a work capacity assessment being undertaken.

 Date/Time 6 conditional 2
Recipient—work capacity assessment before intervention, total hours XX[XXX]
Specific Information:

Work capacity assessment before intervention refers to the variable PM_BASE_WORK_CAP in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional upon an intervention being carried out.

 Date/Time 5 conditional 1
Recipient—work capacity assessment with intervention, total hours XX[XXX]
Specific Information:

Work capacity assessment with intervention refers to the variable PM_CAP_WITH_INTRVN in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional upon an intervention being carried out.

 Date/Time 5 conditional 1
Recipient—blindness indicator, code A
Specific Information:

Blindness indicator refers to the variable BLIND_IND in the PIA research data set.

 String 1 mandatory 1
PIA_Recipient—blindness start date (abbreviated), MMYYYY
Specific Information:

Blindness start date refers to the variable BLIND_START_DATE in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a 'Yes' response to Recipient—blindness indicator, code A.

 Date/Time 6 conditional 1
PIA_Income and Assets Cluster
  • [Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Standard]
 mandatory 1
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
Recipient—continuous earning source, total number N[N]
Specific Information:

Number of continuous earning sources refers to the variable NUM_OF_CON_EARN_SOURCE in the PIA research data set.

Up to 16 continuous earning sources may be recorded.

 Number 2 mandatory 1
Recipient—continuous earnings, total Australian currency N[9].NN
Specific Information:

Total quarterly continuous earnings refers to the variable TOT_QTR_CON_EARNINGS in the PIA research data set.

 Decimal 11 mandatory 1
Recipient—one-time earning source, total number N[N]
Specific Information:

Number of one-time earning sources refers to the variable NUM_OF_IOP_EARN_SOURCE in the PIA research data set.

Up to 16 one-time earning sources may be recorded.

 Number 2 mandatory 1
Recipient—one-time earnings, total Australian currency N[9].NN
Specific Information:

Total of one-time earnings refers to the variable TOT_QTR_IOP_EARNINGS in the PIA research data set.

 Decimal 11 mandatory 1
PIA_Income support information Cluster
  • [Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Standard]
 mandatory 1
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
PIA_Recipient—identifier, scrambled customer reference number N(9)
Specific Information:

Scrambled customer reference number refers to the variable SCRAMBLED_PERSON_ID in the PIA research data set.

 Number 9 mandatory 1
Payment: Benefit type, Code 0.1
Specific Information:

Centrelink benefit type refers to the variable BEN_TYPE_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 String 4 mandatory 99
Recipient: Benefit status, code 0.1
Specific Information:

Benefit status refers to the variables BEN_STS_CODE and STS_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 String 1 mandatory 2
Recipient—partner identifier, scrambled customer reference number N(9)
Specific Information:

Scrambled partner's identifier CRN refers to the variable SCRAMBLED_PTNR_PERSON_ID in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a person having a partner.

 Number 9 conditional 1
Recipient—partner's Centrelink benefit type, code AAA
Specific Information:

Partner's Centrelink benefit type refers to the variable PTNR_BEN_TYPE_CODE in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on a person having a partner.

 String 4 conditional 99
Recipient—carer allowance entitlement indicator, yes/missing code A
Specific Information:

Carer allowance entitlement indicator refers to the variables FTB_CDA_ELIG_IND and CDA in the PIA research data set.

 String 1 mandatory 1
Payment: Reason for payment suspension or cancellation, Code 0.1
Specific Information:

Reason for payment suspension refers to the variable RSN_CODE in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on 'Suspended' being recorded for Recipient—benefit status, code A.

 String 3 conditional 1
PIA_Location Cluster
  • [Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Standard]
 mandatory 1
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
Address: Australian postcode, Code 0.1
Specific Information:

Refers to the postcode of the recipient.

 String 4 mandatory 1
Address: State or territory, Code 0.1
Specific Information:

State or territory of usual residence refers to the variable ADDR_STATE_CODE in the PIA research data set.

 CharacterString 3 mandatory 1
PIA_Reporting period Cluster
  • [Commonwealth Department of Social Services: Standard]
 mandatory 1
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
PIA_Recipient—reporting period start date, DDAAAYYYY
Specific Information:

This data element refers to the start date for the quarter.

Extract start date refers to the variable QTR_START_DATE in the PIA research data set.

 Date/Time 9 mandatory 1
PIA_Recipient—reporting period end date, DDAAAYYYY
Specific Information:

This data element refers to the end date for the quarter.

Extract end date refers to the variable QTR_END_DATE in the PIA research data set.

 Date/Time 9 mandatory 1
Data Elements
Reference Data Element Data Type Length Inclusion #
PIA_Recipient—level of educational attainment, code XXX
Specific Information:

Level of educational attainment by the recipient refers to the variable EDU_LVL_ATTAIN_CODE in the PIA research data set.

Conditional Inclusion:

Conditional on the recipient receiving Youth Allowance (student or apprentice), AUSTUDY or ABSTUDY and who are not in receipt of other income support.

 String 3 conditional 1

Comments

The Australian Priority Investment Approach Longitudinal Income Support Administrative Dataset defines longitudinal social security data from the DHS EDW.

The investment approach to welfare supports the work done to implement the recommendations of the review of Australia's welfare system - the McClure Review. Data about the triggers that affect a person's transitions through the social support system have been collected in the form of the PIA research DSS.

The underlying criteria for this data set is subject to legislative review over the period of this data collection.

References

Department of Human Services 2016. A guide to Australian Government payments 1 July–19 September 2016. Viewed 19 July 2016, https://www.humanservices.gov.au/sites/default/files/co029-1607en.pdf.

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Relation Count
As a numerator in an Indicator 0
As a denominator in an Indicator 0
As a disaggregation in an Indicator 0