Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

2011 Census News Release

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors – will you be one?


14 April, 2011
CO/17

Australia’s largest ever peace time job drive has begun.

From today, approximately 29,000 casual Census Collector jobs are available.

Across Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors are needed to help the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) deliver and collect approximately 14.2 million Census forms to Australia’s 9.8 million households.

Head of the Population Census program Paul Lowe says Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors are crucial to the success of the Census and ensuring that everyone in Australia is accurately counted, particularly in discrete communities.

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors make an enormous difference to the quality and accuracy of the data that we produce from the Census. The data has benefits for every state and every community, no matter how discrete," Mr Lowe says.

“We understand the only way to get a successful snapshot of Australia is to work hand-in-hand with Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities,” he adds.

Mr Lowe says Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors will conduct interviews in discrete communities.

“Throughout Australia there are hundreds of Indigenous languages spoken. The more locals who become involved in the Census, the more accurate the count,” Mr Lowe says.

Applicant information kits are available online at www.abs.gov.au/census or call 1800 420 182.