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AIHW 
graphic 
design 
style


AIHW graphic design style
Our vision
Stronger evidence,  
better decisions,  
improved health and welfare
Our purpose
To create authoritative 
and accessible information 
and statistics that inform 
decisions and improve the 
health and welfare of all 
Australians
3

link to page 5 link to page 6 link to page 9 link to page 20 link to page 26 link to page 28 link to page 31 link to page 38 link to page 39 AIHW graphic design style
Contents
Introduction 5
The Australian Government logo 
6
The AIHW brand mark 
9
The AIHW brand colours 
20
Graphic elements 
26
Typography 28
Graphs and figures 
31
Icons 
38
Photography 
39
4

AIHW graphic design style
Introduction
Welcome to AIHW graphic design style.
What exactly is a branding style manual?
AIHW graphic design style has everything you need to know to create a report, fact sheet, 
PowerPoint presentation, letterhead, or anything else that bears the AIHW name. It sets 
out the dos and don’ts on all of the big and little things that make the AIHW products 
uniquely ‘ours’, including the size and placement of our logo and brand mark, and the 
fonts and colour palette that we use. It also includes basic rules on the use of graphs, 
charts, diagrams and icons.
Why is it important?
It ensures brand consistency in everything the AIHW produces—irrespective of where  
it appears and who created it. Having a distinct brand also helps our readers and  
stakeholders to recognise an AIHW product instantly.
All aspects of AIHW graphic design style have been chosen and developed to reflect the 
AIHW’s identity, integrity and professionalism The document is to be used in conjunction 
with AIHW writing style and AIHW web design style. These 3 documents provide the  
framework for all AIHW products and their use is mandatory.
What products and platforms are covered by 
the branding manual?
Everything that bears the AIHW name and is publicly available—our website,  
publications and corporate materials. 
Where do I go for more help?
The Website & Publishing Unit can help answer your questions about using our brand  and 
style.
5

AIHW graphic design style
The Australian 
Government logo
The Australian Government Australian Institute of Health and Welfare logo must be used 
across all materials that will be released to the public and/or our stakeholders,  
in conjunction with our brand mark. 
In most circumstances, the logo should have prominence over the placement of other im-
ages and graphic elements, including the AIHW brand mark.
There are four variations of the logo (inline, strip, stacked, stacked strip). The most  
suitable design should be selected for the space and layout available.
Inline Design
Strip Design
Stacked Design
Stacked Strip Design
6

AIHW graphic design style
Minimum size for Coat of Arms
Generally, the minimum width of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms on stationery and 
larger items is 20mm.
The width may be reduced for items such as name badges and identity cards where it 
may not be possible to adhere to this requirement, however, the image must still be 
recognisable.
Minimum 
20mm
How much white space should I leave 
around the logo?
The logo should always be surrounded by a minimum area of clear space.
To work out the minimum area required, measure the distance between the top of the 
capital ‘A’ in ‘Australian Government’ and the bottom of the horizontal line beneath these 
words, as shown by the ‘X’ below.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
7

AIHW graphic design style
What colour is the logo?
The logo is to appear in one colour only, preferably black. However, the logo can be 
reversed to appear in white—or can appear as a light colour on a dark colour or as a dark 
colour on a light colour, if required.
The choice of these colours is flexible, but it is essential to ensure that any use of colour 
does not compromise the integrity of the logo. Attention to contrast must always be 
considered carefully.
The various elements of the logo must not be represented in more than one colour, and 
elements of the logo should not be resized or rearranged independently of each other.
For more detailed guidelines on how to use the Australian Government logo, see the 
Australian Government branding design guidelines at www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/
files/publications/Australian_Government_Branding_Design_Guidelines.pdf

Black logo on a  
White logo on a  
 light colour
 dark colour
Do not use a dark colour  
Do not use a light colour  


logo on a dark background
logo on a light colour
Do not use multiple  
Do not alter the logo in any 


colours in the logo
way
8

AIHW graphic design style
The AIHW brand mark
The AIHW brand mark has been designed to reflect the AIHW’s unique ‘personality’ as 
a contemporary, authoritative and accessible data organisation. The colour palette 
is evident across the many AIHW platforms and it immediately signals to our varied 
audiences and stakeholders that this product ‘is from the AIHW’.
The brand mark incorporates the AIHW’s core brand colours (blue, teal and green) 
as well as the secondary colour palette (lime, sky blue, purple, plum and orange).
The brand mark must be accompanied by the Australian Government logo when the  
material will be released to the public and/or our stakeholders.
Tagline
The AIHW’s vision, ‘Stronger evidence, better decisions, improved health and welfare’, 
is the tagline that accompanies the brand mark. 
It should be used on all materials where possible; the exception is small items such as 
business cards, name badges, and name plates where it may not be suitable.
The tagline may also be removed from the brand mark if the brand mark is being used 
multiple times within a document; for example, if it is in the footer.
The brand mark with tagline is available in stacked and inline versions. The most suitable 
option should be selected for the space and layout available.
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Inline Tagline
Stacked Tagline
9

AIHW graphic design style
Minimum size for brand mark
The brand mark reproduces well at very small sizes but should never be reproduced small-
er than 17mm (70px) wide. When used with the tagline, never reproduce it smaller than 
30mm (120px) wide. However, the overarching rule is to use it larger than the  
minimum size whenever possible
.
There is one exception
When using the brand mark as a favicon (the small icon next to the web address in an In-
ternet browser) this minimum size can be disregarded.
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Minimum 
17 mm (print) 
Minimum 
70px (digital)
30 mm (print) 
120px (digital)
How much white space should I leave around 
the brand mark?
To ensure the AIHW brand mark is prominent and distinctive, there must always be clear 
space around it that is free from any other type and/or graphics. 
To work out the minimum area of clear space to leave around the brand mark,  
measure the area between the horizontal bars in the ‘I’, as shown by the ‘X’ below.
This rule applies to all versions of the brand mark, both with and without the tagline.
X
X
X
X
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

X
10

AIHW graphic design style
What colours should be used?
The full-colour version of the brand mark should be used whenever possible. It should 
be used on a white background as the first preference, but can also be placed on a 
coloured background where there is sufficient contrast. A black brand mark and a white 
brand mark is available if the full-colour version cannot be used. The brand mark should 
never be reproduced in any other colour(s).
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

 Full colour brand mark 
on white
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

White brand mark on  
 sufficiently contrasted 
background
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Black brand mark  
 on white
11

AIHW graphic design style
Using the logo and brand mark together
The AIHW brand mark and the Australian Government logo should be used on all 
materials where possible.
Minimum sizes
When used together, the logo and brand mark must be larger than the minimum  
sizes specified for individual use (see pages 8 and 11).
The size and proportions of the logo and brand mark should remain consistent  
across the material.
Where the brand mark is used alongside the logo, the top of the AIHW brand mark aligns 
with the top of the ‘A’ in ‘Australian Government’, and the bottom of the brand mark (not 
including the tagline) aligns with the bottom of the ‘A’ in ‘Australian Institute’.
These examples illustrate how the brand mark's height should align with the logo. 
Horizontal distance between the logo and the selected brand mark option will  
depend on the product.
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

12

AIHW graphic design style
Where do I put the logo and brand mark?
The Australian Government logo must be placed at the top of the material where it 
appears. Other logos, text and images must not be placed above or to the left of the logo.
The logo must appear only once in a document, and must not be used as a decorative 
element or as a watermark.
Whenever possible, the AIHW brand mark should also appear only once within a document/
material and must not be used as an artistic element or watermark. Again,  
an exception may be made if it is necessary to use it on every page, for example, in a footer 
of a presentation. In this instance, the AIHW brand mark without tagline may be used at the 
minimum size.
The AIHW brand mark should align with the Australian Government logo where possible. 
The placement should always consider other graphic elements on the page/material to 
ensure the brand mark is legible.
Name
Title
Unit
+61 XXX XXX XXX
+61 2 XXXX XXXX 
xxxx.xxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Business card—front
1 Thynne Street, Bruce ACT 2617
+61 2 6244 1000
GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601
xxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
www.aihw.gov.au
@aihw
Business card—back
1 Thynne Street, Bruce ACT 2617
+61 2 6244 1000
www.aihw.gov.au
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 

GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601
xxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
@aihw
improved health and welfare
Letterhead
13

AIHW graphic design style
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601
Envelope C4
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601
Envelope DL
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

With compliments
1 Thynne Street, Bruce ACT 2617
GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601
+61 2 6244 1000
xxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
aihw.gov.au
@aihw
With compliments
14

AIHW graphic design style
Border 
15 mm
Distance  
Distance  
from  
from  
right edge
left edge
Bottom of logo to top of title 
35 mm
27 mm
45 mm
Border 
15 mm
Report title
Title
from
spine Sub heading
15 mm
edge
15 mm
Blurb
 go past this line
Title should not go past this line
Blurb should not
Distance from right edge
57 mm
aihw.gov.au
Distance from left edge
143 mm
2X
Stronger evidence, 
X
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—standard with technical measurements
Report title
Sub heading
Blurb
aihw.gov.au
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—standard
15

AIHW graphic design style
Border 
15 mm
Bottom of AIHW logo to top of co-badged logo 
Distance  
Distance  
15 mm
from  
from  
right edge
left edge
35 mm
27 mm
Border 
15 mm
Bottom of co-badged logo to top of title 
35 mm
15 mm
Blurb
Report title
Title
 go past this line
from
spine Sub heading
edge
Title should not go past this line
15 mm
Blurb should not
Distance from right edge
57 mm
aihw.gov.au
Distance from left edge
143 mm
2X
Stronger evidence, 
X
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—co-badge with technical measurements
Blurb
Report title
Sub heading
aihw.gov.au
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—co-badge
16



AIHW graphic design style
Border 
15 mm
Border 
15 mm
Bottom of logo to top of title 
45 mm
Distance  
Distance from right edge
from  
58 mm
Report title
left  
Title
edge
from
15 mm
spine Sub heading
edge
15 mm
15 mm
Blurb
Title should not go past this line
 past this line
Distance from left edge
174 mm
Blurb should not go
IMAGE OPTION A: 
Image sits behind  
the trajectory bar
aihw.gov.au
2X
Stronger evidence, 
X
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—with image—option 1(a)—technical measurements
Report title
Sub heading
Blurb
aihw.gov.au
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—with image—option 1(a)
17





AIHW graphic design style
Border 
15 mm
Border 
15 mm
Bottom of logo to top of title 
45 mm
 
Distance  
Distance from right edge
from  
58 mm
Report title
left  
Title
edge
from
15 mm
spine Sub heading
edge
15 mm
15 mm
Blurb
Title should not go past this line 
or encroach on image
 past this line
Distance from left edge
174 mm
Blurb should not go
IMAGE OPTION B: 
Image may cross  
over the top of  
the trajectory bar
aihw.gov.au
2X
Stronger evidence, 
X
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—with image—option 1(b)—technical measurements
Report title
Sub heading
Blurb
aihw.gov.au
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—with image—option 1(b)
18



AIHW graphic design style
Border 
15 mm
Border 
15 mm
Bottom of logo to top of title 
45 mm
Distance  
from  
Report title
left  
Title
edge
from
15 mm
spine
Sub heading
edge
20 mm
15 mm
Blurb
 past this line
Distance from left edge
174 mm
Blurb should not go
aihw.gov.au
2X
Stronger evidence, 
X
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—with image—option 2—technical measurements
Report title
Sub heading
Blurb
aihw.gov.au
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

Cover—with image—option 2
19

AIHW graphic design style
The AIHW brand 
colours
Core colours
The AIHW brand has 4 primary ‘core’ colours—bluetealgreen and charcoal (a cool grey). 
This colour palette is consistent across online/on screen and printed products.
Even though it is one of the core colours, charcoal is used sparingly, for elements  
such as text and graph axes.
The 3 remaining core colours (blue, teal and green) always should be used before  
the secondary accent colours. If necessary, one secondary accent colour can be  
used (that is, orange or plum or purple).
Blue
C
82 M39 Y30 K3
R45 G126 B152
HEX #2d7e98
Teal
C
84 M24 Y88 K10
R39 G133 B78
HEX #27854e
Green
C
73 M28 Y100 K13
R77 G130 B39
HEX #4d8227
Charcoal
C
66 M57 Y56 K33
R79 G81 B82
HEX #4f5152
20

AIHW graphic design style
Core shades
Each core colour is supplemented by a range of shades to enable more complex 
graphical/statistical displays. These shades have been selected to be:
• clearly legible across screen and printed products
• clearly reproduced in black and white
• accessible for people who are colour blind.
The text in each row shows the correct choice for accessible contrast on screen.  
For print, the designer should use their judgement for text on the *3 and *4 shades.
Blue
HEX
R
G
B
C
M
Y
K
B1
192f38
25
47
56
87
67
56
57
B2
295665
41
86
101
86
56
46
25
B3 (primary)
2d7e98
45
126
152
82
39
30
3
B4
61a9be
97
169
190
62
19
20
0
B5
b7d6df
183
214
223
27
6
9
0
Teal
HEX
R
G
B
C
M
Y
K
T1
163222
22
50
34
81
52
79
66
T2
255a3c
37
90
60
83
40
83
36
T3 (primary)
27854e
39
133
78
84
24
88
10
T4
49B176
73
177
118
71
5
72
0
T5
aedbc0
174
219
192
32
0
30
0
Green
HEX
R
G
B
C
M
Y
K
G1
213015
33
48
21
73
53
86
67
G2
3a5825
58
88
37
74
42
100
37
G3 (primary)
4d8227
77
130
39
73
28
100
13
G4
74ae48
116
174
72
61
11
97
0
G5
bdd9aa
189
217
170
27
2
41
0
21

AIHW graphic design style
Charcoal
HEX
R
G
B
C
M
Y
K
C1
2b2d2d
43
45
45
71
64
63
64
C2 (primary)
4f5152
79
81
82
66
57
56
33
C3
707678
112
118
120
58
46
45
11
C4
9c9fa0
156
159
160
42
32
33
0
C5
cfd1d1
207
209
209
18
13
14
0
Secondary shades
Orange and Indigo work well as highlight colours, used to draw attention to a specific 
data point. This could be highlighting a category or area which has been selected by the 
viewer or to draw attention to a national total.Do not start with them: always choose blue 
or green first.
The colour of the text in each row shows the correct choice for accessible contrast on 
screen.  
Orange
HEX
R
G
B
C
M
Y
K
O1
4a2109
74
33
9
44
77
88
65
O2
863a0d
134
58
13 
31
81
100
32
O3
c65009
198
80
9
16
80
100
6
O4 (secondary orange)
f47e37
244
126
55
0
62
88
0
O5
f7c7ab
247
199
171
1
24
31
0
Indigo
HEX
R
G
B
C
M
Y
K
I1
302844
48
40
68
82
84
45
47
I2
564686
86
70
134
79
84
16
4
I3 (secondary indigo)
7c69b5
124
105
181
58
65
0
0
I4
a598c9
165
152
201
36
40
0
0
I5
d3cee3
211
206
227
15
16
1
0
22

AIHW graphic design style
Accent colours
There are 6 secondary ‘accent’ colours that are to be used sparingly across AIHW 
products. Two of them (sky and lime) are shades of primary colours (blue and green).  
Three (orange, plum, and violet) are used as highlight colours in graphs and charts. Dark 
cyan (DC) is used as the second colour in the AIHW colour palette for graphs and charts.
Using the accent colours can complement the core colours and inject warmth and 
vibrancy into the brand.  However, they are not to be used independently, or in 
preference to the core colours. The use of only one accent colour is preferred.
Lime
Violet
C57 M4 Y94 K0
C73 M99 Y1 K1
R122 G186 B76 
R105 G44 B144
HEX #7aba4c
HEX #692c90
PMS 360 C
PMS 267 C
Sky
Plum
C68 MY7 K0
C27 M100 Y47 K9
R50 G180 B220
R172 G30 B88
HEX #32b4dc
HEX #ac1e58
PMS 298 C
PMS 215 C
Dark cyan (DC)
Orange
C72 MY24 K0
C0 M70 Y98 K0
R19 G186 B198
R243 G111 B33
HEX #13bac6
HEX #f36f21
PMS 3115 C
PMS 158 C
23

AIHW graphic design style
Accent shades
The shade numbers for the 3 highlight accents colours (orange, plum and violet) 
correspond to the shades of the core colours. Choose the shade or shades that  
provide the best contrast with the core shades.
Orange = hue 22°; Plum = hue 335°; Violet = hue 277°.
HEX
R
G
B
C
M
Y
K
O2
5d2f15
93
47
21
40
76
92
53
O5 (2ndary)
f36f21
243
111
33
0
70
98
0
O7
ffb083
255
176
131
0
37
49
0
P2
711d3b
113
29
59
39
95
57
39
P3 (2ndary)
ac1e58
172
30
88
27
100
47
9
P5
d16b8c
209
107
140
16
71
24
0
V2
47215e
71
33
94
83
100
31
23
V3 (2ndary)
692c90
105
44
144
73
99
1
1
V6
b894cc
184
148
204
27
45
0
0
Data visualisation palette
This palette is the set palette for CMS Charts, so these colours are automatically applied 
to figures created in CMS Charts. It is also the default for Tableau, however in Tableau 
there is the option to choose other colours from the full AIHW set of colours. Ideally use 
these colours for charts, graphs and diagrams in designed AIHW publications, too.
Name
HEX
R
G
B
C
M
Y
K
B3 (primary)
2d7e98
45
126
152
82
39
30
3
DC
13bac6
19
186
198
72
1
24
0
I3
7c69b5
124
105
181
58
65
0
0
G4
74ae48
116
174
72
61
11
97
0
T3
27854e
39
133
78
84
24
88
0
24

AIHW graphic design style
The AIHW colour gradient
The AIHW gradient is the entire brand colour palette: the primary blue, the primary teal, and 
the secondary colours.
The gradient is only used in trajectory bars (the diagonal lines in the AIHW brand design). It 
should never be used as a background for documents/applications.
Portions of the gradient may appear on a document/application; for example, if a trajectory 
bar disappears off the edge of a document/application, only the blue end of the gradient 
may appear on the document/application. The gradient can also span across multiple 
trajectory bars. The location of each colour in the gradient should not be altered as they 
have been arranged to ensure the gradient flows seamlessly from one colour to the next.
Gradients should not be created with other shades.
BLUE
LOCATION 5%
TEAL
LOCATION 20%
SECONDARY GREEN
LOCATION 35%
SECONDARY BLUE
LOCATION 50%
SECONDARY VIOLET
LOCATION 65%
SECONDARY PLUM
LOCATION 80%
SECONDARY ORANGE
LOCATION 95%
25

AIHW graphic design style
Graphic elements
Trajectory bars and data points
Trajectory bars and data points are core graphic elements of the AIHW brand.  
They should feature on all branded material.
Correct usage: 
Always use the AIHW gradient.
Data points
These must align with 

The gradient should follow the angle of  
and be the same width 
the trajectory bars and can stretch across  
as trajectory bars.  
The same gradient 
multiple bars in the same application.
should also progress 
into the data point.
Always use bars at an angle of 57°.

Data points can be added to the ends to  
add visual interest, but not to every bar.
X =  Minimum space  
 
between bars
X

Trajectory bars work well when placed  
so that they disappear off the edges of  
applications.

Ensure the bars never overlap or touch  
each other.

Always use trajectory bars at the same  
width within a single application.
Trajectory bars
The gradient can 

Always use rounded corners on  
stretch across 
multiple bars.
trajectory bars and data points.

Always keep a space of at least ‘X’  
between trajectory bars, with ‘X’ being  
half the width of the bar.

The space between data points and  
trajectory bars should be consistent.
57°
26

AIHW graphic design style
Incorrect usage:
The following examples demonstrate some incorrect ways of using trajectory bars and 
data points.
Do not add data points  
Do not let trajectory  
The gradient of adjacent 



to every trajectory bar
bars or data points 
bars and data points 
overlap or touch
should not change 
significantly
Different width trajectory 
Do not place trajectory 
The spacing between 



bars and data points 
bars at any other angle
trajectory bars and data 
should not be used 
points should not change
together
27

AIHW graphic design style
Typography
Typeface for typeset documents— 
Open Sans
Our primary typeface for typeset material is 'Open Sans'. This font family has  
a neutral, yet friendly appearance, and is suitable for print, web, and mobile  
applications. It is extremely legible and should be used where possible.
Open Sans is a Google Font and can be downloaded for free from:  
www.fonts.google.com/specimen/Open+Sans
Light
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 
1234567890!@#$%^&*(){}[]
Regular
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 
1234567890!@#$%^&*(){}[]
Semibold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 
1234567890!@#$%^&*(){}[]

Bold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 
1234567890!@#$%^&*(){}[]
Extrabold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 
1234567890!@#$%^&*(){}[]
28

AIHW graphic design style
Typeface for Word and other  
documents—Arial
Arial should be used for all applications that are prepared using standard Microsoft 
programs such as Word and PowerPoint. Other typical applications include letters, media 
releases, and the text in graphs and charts.
Arial is a default system font on all Windows and Mac PCs.
Regular
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 
1234567890!@#$%^&*(){}[]
Bold
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 
1234567890!@#$%^&*(){}[]
Black
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 
1234567890!@#$%^&*(){}[]
29

AIHW graphic design style
Hierarchy
The various weights of Open Sans enable a distinct hierarchy to be shown within text.
Heading and body text styles can be styled within a document as shown.
Main headings should be the largest, and subheadings a smaller size, but still larger than 
body text.
The exact sizes, weights and colours of headings and text will vary with each individual 
application.

This is only one example of how heading levels will work.
Main heading
The National Social Housing Survey
Housing is a basic need for all, and is 
fundamental to peoples’ wellbeing. 
NSHS respondents 
Governments play a crucial role in ensuring 
In general, NSHS respondents  
that all Australians have access to affordable, 
are more likely than tenants  
safe and sustainable housing. Part of this 
recorded in administrative  
role is to provide assistance to the many 
data to be:
Australians who find it difficult to afford 
housing in the private market.
• female
•  older (although this is less likely for 
The provision and funding of social  
SOMIH tenants)
housing is a significant component of the 
housing assistance programs available to  
• living in single-person households
low-income households. 
•  living in social housing for longer 
(particularly for PH survey respondents).
Subheading
What is the National Social  
These demographic differences are 
Housing Survey? 
expected, as NSHS respondents are not 
The National Social Housing Survey (NSHS)  
required to be the main tenant of the 
is run every 2 years on behalf of the 
household (the person who signed or  
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 
co-signed the lease). 
(AIHW) and state and territory governments. 
Note: the estimates have been derived by applying ‘weights’  
to the survey responses to ensure that estimates represent  
It collects data on the profile of social  
the total population, to the extent possible.
housing tenants, and records their 
satisfaction with their housing providers  
and their dwellings.
Program included and  
Body text
sample size 
The NSHS complements other data—such 
Year Method
as administrative data from social housing 
PH
CH
SOMIH
providers and reported by the AIHW and other 
1996
Mail
10,374 -
-
agencies. These administrative data provide 
information on the social housing dwellings, 
2001 Mail/Face-to-face 9,588
1,792 -
tenant characteristics and accessibility for 
2002
Mail
-
1,916 -
people in special-needs groups. The NSHS 
contributes information on tenants’ experiences 
2003 Mail/Face-to-face 9,003
-
-
of social housing to the overall picture.
2005 Mail/Face-to-face 15,436 2,935 897
History of the NSHS 
2007 Mail/Face-to-face 13,246 3,100 1,259
The NSHS began in 1996 as a survey mailed 
2010
Mail
9,681
4,090 -
to public housing (PH) tenants. It has grown 
2012
Mail
8,975
3,037 1,183
to include community housing (CH) and state 
2014 Mail/Face-to-face 9,232
2,937 1,391
owned and managed Indigenous housing 
(SOMIH) tenants, and face-to-face surveys.
2016 Mail/Face-to-face 5,163
3,153 1,422
Stronger evidence, 
better decisions, 
improved health and welfare

30

AIHW graphic design style
Graphs and figures
Basic rules
Graphs and figures should be easy for a reader to understand at a glance. Ideally, they 
should be easy to describe in a sentence—‘Cancer incidence rates fell from X per 100,000 
population in 1987 to Y per 100,000 population in 2017’. This description should be clearly 
illustrated by the format chosen.
If your graph or figure cannot be described this simply, consider breaking it down further.
Axes
Use the smallest number of intervals on the y axis as possible. For example, for a scale of 
1–100, major intervals of 20 or 50 would be better than intervals of 10.
Consider transposing the x and y axes for graphs that have multiple items on the x-axis.
Keylines around shapes
Do not use keylines.
Notes and sources
These should be entered as separate text and not as part of the image.  
(The words Note: and Source: are not italicised).
Choosing colours
Choose one colour, or the smallest number of different colours needed to show the  
findings.
Examples
The following examples are based on best practice. Please check with the Website &  
Publishing Unit if you need further help or suggestions regarding the use of colour.
31

AIHW graphic design style
Use a different colour to highlight/differentiate particular points or series.
Colour
Mono
Core blue and Secondary dark cyan: B3 and DC
Core blue and Secondary dark cyan: B3 and DC
40
40
B3
DC
B3
DC
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2022
2023
2024
2022
2023
2024
Core blue and Secondary dark cyan: B3, DC, I3 and G4
Core blue and Secondary dark cyan: B3, DC, I3 and G4
40
40
B3
DC
I3
G4
B3
DC
I3
G4
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2022
2023
2024
2022
2023
2024
Core blue and Secondary dark cyan: B3 and DC
Core blue and Secondary dark cyan: B3 and DC
40
40
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
NSW Vic
Qld
WA
SA
Tas
ACT
NT Aust.
NSW Vic
Qld
WA
SA
Tas
ACT
NT Aust.
32

AIHW graphic design style
Column charts—core blue examples
Using gradients of a core colour, rather than dark-light-dark-light, makes it easier to match 
shades to the legend. Displaying the legend horizontally in the same order as  
the columns also makes the graph easier to read.
Colour
Mono
Core blue: B3 and B5
Core blue: B3 and B5
40
40
B3
B7
B3
B7
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2015
2016
2017
2015
2016
2017
Core blue: B3, B5 and B7
Core blue: B3, B5 and B7
40
40
B3
B5
B7
B3
B5
B7
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2015
2016
2017
2015
2016
2017
Core blue: B1, B3, B5 and B7
Core blue: B1, B3, B5 and B7
40
40
B1
B3
B5
B7
B1
B3
B5
B7
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2015
2016
2017
2015
2016
2017
33

AIHW graphic design style
Colour
Mono
Core blue: B1, B3, B4, B6 and B8
Core blue: B1, B3, B4, B6 and B8
40
B1
B3
B4
B6
B8
40
B1
B3
B4
B6
B8
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2015
2016
2017
2015
2016
2017
Core blue: All
Core blue: All
40
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
40
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2015
2016
2017
2015
2016
2017
34

AIHW graphic design style
Line graphs—core teal examples
Different shades of lines can be harder to distinguish than the solid colour blocks used in 
column and bar charts. The thickness of lines can be varied if needed to make the graph 
easier to read. Dots and dashes can also be used and are very accessible across different 
media. Line thickness may also need to be increased for dots and dashes.
Colour
Mono
Core teal: T3, and T7
Core teal: T3, and T7
40
T3
T7
40
T3
T7
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Core teal: T2, T4 and T7
Core teal: T2, T4 and T7
40
40
T2
T4
T7
T2
T4
T7
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Core teal: T1, T3, T5 and T8
Core teal: T1, T3, T5 and T8
40
40
T1
T3
T5
T8
T1
T3
T5
T8
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
35

AIHW graphic design style
Colour
Mono
Core teal: T3
Core teal: T3
40
T3
T3
40
T3
T3
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Core teal: T3 and T7
Core teal: T3 and T7
40
T3
T3
T7
40
T3
T3
T7
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Core teal: T3 and T7
Core teal: T3 and T7
40
40
T3
T3
T7
T7
T3
T3
T7
T7
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
36

AIHW graphic design style
Colour
Mono
Core teal: T3, and V6
Core teal: T3, and V6
40
T3
V6
40
T3
V6
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Core teal: T1, T3 and V6
Core teal: T1, T3 and V6
40
T1
T3
V6
40
T1
T3
V6
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Core teal: T1, T3, T5 and V6
Core teal: T1, T3, T5 and V6
40
40
T1
V3
T5
V6
T1
V3
T5
V6
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
37

AIHW graphic design style
Icons
Icons are best used to help demonstrate simple concepts. The AIHW has developed a 
standard set of icons that are visually consistent and complement the AIHW brand. Do 
not use other icons—if there is nothing appropriate in this set to portray the concept 
required, speak to the Website & Publishing team.
•  The icon style is simple and clean and uses a linear style.
•  No solid icons should be used.
•  It is preferred the icons be used in the three core palette colours of each brand, in 
02/  Visual Design Assets  black and in white reversed. Other colours are permitted, but must first be discussed 
with the design team.
Icons shown below are sample styles.
Icons
Icons are a useful tool to highlight 
various topics, reports or sections 
within the site.
The icon style is simple and clean 
and uses a linear style. No solid icons 
should be used.
These Icons are the core icon style and 
used to represent key content and 
sections of the site.
These icons can be used in the three 
core palette colours of each brand, in 
black and in white reversed.
Icons shown are sample styles.
38
 AIHW Website Brand Guide / 15









AIHW graphic design style
Photography
Any images used on the website or in reports should represent the real community and 
provide a confident and authentic message.
If a photograph is for the cover of a publication, the image should relate directly to the 
content. Similarly, if the photograph depicts a person, their age, gender and ethnicity 
should relate directly to the content. The actions and emotions of the person/people in 
the photos should seem genuine and relaxed—not forced or clichéd.
Images should have a single focus with areas of 'negative space' (empty areas around the 
subject). The style of photography should use natural light and shallow depth of fields.
New photos are generally sourced from iStock: www.istock.com
02/  Visual Design Assets 
Examples of preferred image style are below.
Image style
Our image style represents the real 
community. The style of images should 
provide a confident and authentic 
message throughout the website.
The style of photography uses natural 
light and shallow depth of fields.
 AIHW Website Brand Guide / 17
39

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GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601
aihw.gov.au
+61 2 6244 1000
@aihw
July 2024