Describes the techniques used to create the synthetic small area data. It then provides some examples of how the new methods and data are being used for estimation and analysis of income, wealth and other socio-economic characteristics, as well as the spatial distribution of policy change.

During the past three years NATSEM has developed path-breaking spatial microsimulation techniques, involving the creation of synthetic data about the socioeconomic characteristics of households at a detailed regional level. The data are potentially available at any level of geographic aggregation, down to the level of the Census Collection District (about 200 households).

Centrelink has embarked on a Regional Microsimulation Modelling Project. The modelling work is being undertaken jointly with NATSEM. The purpose of the model under development, the Customer Service Projection (CuSP) Model, is to provide a tool that will assist decision-making through short to medium-term projection of customers and channel use demands at the small area...