This coming Tuesday will officially mark Census night, which is conducted every five years and provides a snapshot of Australia on the night. The Census is the largest statistical collection undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and one of the most important. This major national undertaking plays an important role for not only every individual and household but also for every level of government, as well as community groups and businesses, as the data collected helps us, collectively, to better plan for the future.
The data collected through the Census tells a story of how our communities are changing over time and helps the local government sector to respond to those changes. Councils across the country use Census data to support planning, policy and funding decisions for services and infrastructure, including transport, housing, health and education. Census data also provides the evidence to identify new geographic boundaries for suburbs and communities of interest. It also plays a major role in helping promote democracy and inclusiveness by informing the communication strategies of councils to meet the diverse needs of their communities.
Households will have already started to receive a letter from the ABS containing a unique Census login number for their household and instructions on how to complete the Census online. For those that prefer paper based forms this can also be accommodated by the ABS.
Local governments have traditionally been strong supporters and advocates for the Census and I congratulate all those councils that have assisted the ABS in getting the message out to their communities.
If you have any enquiries about the Census and your council residents, I would encourage you to visit www.abs.gov.au/census.
Mayor Troy Pickard
ALGA President