Census time again

**workingonit** · 5th August 2016, 04:00 PM

I was a public servant once, and I think many things could be improved, but all in all they are a group of people trying hard to give us a cohesive nation and value for money. I can equally rant about some private industry groups and their attitude that the public is there to be milked.

The census was originally meant as a head count so that federal funding to states could be calculated. If you duck the census somehow then you've done your state out of roughly $10,000 - per person! Per year! So roughly $50,000 between census per person.

If you spend a fortune on a head count, then it's only logical to collect other useful social information. Do you not want to live in an advanced country with well thought out infrastructure, education, health etc?

Your public service at work. Most federal departments don't receive annual budget top ups to compensate their staff due to inflation etc. For years the fed gov has been clawing back a small percentage of original budget each year, making the pot smaller and smaller - salary increases to staff are generally based on implementation of new cost saving technology, or staff leaving. Your government wants to save money, that's why the time is ripe to start using computer technology.

Your name and address in the census can be used to link your information if you are included in an ABS health sample survey for example. This enhances the quality of the sample survey, the data being weighted for the general population and ensure confidentiality.

Any information collection process will change some of the questions over time depending on what society is focusing on at the time. The general population are not interested in jedi or who owns a land rover, but yes number of vehicles for road infrastructure, journeys to work etc. But if you want factual information to judge a persons claims we are being over run by some ethnic group or religious group, then who are you going to call - ABS and the census.

And don't forget, newborns are people too - hence name everyone in the household - so you hopefully wont forget the babies (remember approx $10k each).

Not critical that the census be completed on the night, as long as you can remember the details of that night - this is meant to be a snap shot of the nation at one moment in time - not a moving feast. Usual residence and place where you are on the night help tourist communities budget services for peak population load and normal load and similarly help the community where you normally live. Remote area collection is over weeks. But don't be tardy, as there are processing deadlines for the information. No form or access, then call them!

ABS is ranked very highly against similar agencies overseas for security and integrity of its operations - no minister can call the ABS and say I don't like the results, so tweak them, withhold them.

Some countries don't have a census, but rather rely on administrative data. Ours is part of the constitution - don't want a census then lobby your politicians for a referendum.

So what's the next topic, compulsory voting or how I can winge about the result cause I was not compelled to get out of bed (good for seeing the pound drop so you can buy more ashcroft stuff).

**V8Ian** · 5th August 2016, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Hay Ewe

The census has been around for years, since 1086 i

One couldn't hack the internet back then.

**simonmelb** · 5th August 2016, 08:14 PM

Last Census time the wife and I were camped in the middle of nowhere off the Central Arnhem rd - had to just put in GPS co-ordinates as our 'home'.

Now back in the city :-( , oh well maybe in 4 yrs well be off again!

**ramblingboy42** · 6th August 2016, 06:07 AM

The new Queensland drivers licenses contain more personal information about you than you would disclose to census.

I would assume that the other states are in line.

Census is not personal and is for your common good.

DiscoMick · 7th August 2016, 09:36 PM

I don't mind giving the information and I'm happy for the data to be recorded, but I'm still uneasy about the change which means the link to me personally will be retained indefinitely rather than being deleted as in the past. I'm yet to see a credible explanation of why this change has been made.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

Tombie · 8th August 2016, 01:00 AM

Mick. AS per the link I posted. The link to your household has been kept in the past.

So it's nothing new at all..

**AndyG** · 8th August 2016, 04:00 AM

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Interesting comment on the local news this morning - Lightning Ridge (with many non-conformist opal miners) has a population according to ABS census results of about 2,000. The local council is certain it is around 6,000, presumably from propeerty records etc.

All the towns facilities and funding from state and local government are based on ABS figures, but the council says its campaign to get people to comply with the census has fallen on deaf ears.

John

Was there last year, 6000 sounds right

**AndyG** · 8th August 2016, 04:08 AM

Originally Posted by Hay Ewe

Have given this a little more thought after your post above and my earlier post.

What I think is that it all comes under the 'Privicy of Information' Act.
Yes, the banks, Medicare, drivers licence etc are all held, but to get that information, each person would have to consent to which ever organization interrogating each data base to extract the data.

If needed, the courts can allow that.
If the authorities are wanting to track a person, they can apply to get access to their known bank accounts and see what transactions were made when. Most Servo's have CCTV. As I said earlier, its is hard to go to the doctors or hospital with no ID and after service has been applied i.e. wounds from gunshot / beaten up treated, leave hospital, people want to know.

The census has been around for years, since 1086 in the UK (or was it just England then) and for years, no body really worried or cared I suppose.

In todays society, people hear about getting scammed on credit card and have a low level of trust for electronic data because others have made a 'game' from hacking and getting information.

This makes some people naturally wary, and then hype it up and scaremonger others.

If there are questions that you don't want to answer, just don't answer them. If you get asked, explain why you dont want to answer them, but having just looked through the census questions, ask your self, Seriously, are there any questions that REALLY bother you?

1086 Doomsday book, but I can think of an earlier one, Bethlehem, 3 wise men, a manger, and look how that turned out

Interestingly you can read the original Doomsday book, but not the 2000 one on optical disk, the technology is now obsolete

**AndyG** · 8th August 2016, 04:10 AM

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

The new Queensland drivers licenses contain more personal information about you than you would disclose to census.

I would assume that the other states are in line.

Census is not personal and is for your common good.

My prostate surgeon has way more personal information on me, that I want to discuss with anyone

**JDNSW** · 8th August 2016, 08:04 AM

They can be fairly good at finding you. In the 1966 census, I was working in the middle of the Simpson Desert. - and we had a visit from a census collector. Similarly, I was visited by a census collector in 1996 on my yacht in Great Sandy Strait.

But no signs of one here yet!

John

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