The geography and demography of Indigenous temporary mobility: An analysis of the 2006 census snapshot

Local area population counts and estimates are crucial inputs into policy planning and processes. However, population mobility in general, as well as large numbers of visitors to particular areas, place additional demands on resources and those providing essential services. The literature identifies a pressing need for standardized quantitative measures of the volume, frequency and flows of Indigenous temporary mobility and comparable spatial scales. This paper presents an analysis of census data as it relates to Indigenous temporary mobility, and explores the spatial and demographic complexities involved. While the census remains the only consistent and nationally comprehensive data set on Indigenous temporary mobility that provides important insights, the overall findings from this analysis suggest that it remains a relatively blunt instrument in the task of identifying all the factors in Indigenous temporary movement. We conclude that researchers, policy makers and Indigenous populations must seek and develop additional data sources from which the drivers and dynamics of Indigenous temporary mobility and residency patterns may be identified.