Monthly Population Survey simplified Collection Notice

This notice explains how the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) collects and uses your personal information for our household surveys. We give you this notice because the Privacy Act 1998 requires it.

This notice applies to the Monthly Population Survey.

The ABS collects your information so we can produce statistics. We are allowed to do this under the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

You may take part in our surveys:

• online
• over the phone
• in person with an interviewer.

If an interviewer visits your home, they will show you their official ABS photo ID and explain what information they are collecting.

If you complete a survey online, we also collect some personal information when you create an online account.

For the Monthly Population Survey, the ABS collects and securely stores different kinds of personal information, including your: 

• name
• age
• gender
• postal address
• email address
• contact phone number
• sensitive personal information such as country of birth and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status.

More information on the questions asked in this survey can be found on the Monthly Population Survey information page.

The ABS uses your information to produce statistics. These statistics help governments, businesses, and communities make decisions about important issues, like health, education, money, and the environment.

We also use your contact details to:

• stay in touch with you
• send reminders
• manage and improve how we run our surveys.

We may contact you by mail, email, phone, or SMS.

We use your information to produce statistics. These statistics are released in a way that does not identify any individual.

Yes.

If you do not complete the survey, you may receive a notice in writing requiring you to do so. Under the Census and Statistics Act 1905, we can require you to complete the survey or answer the questions.

You can find more details on legal obligations and consequences at Monthly Population Survey full Collection Notice.

Our privacy policies explain how to:

• make a privacy enquiry or complaint
• request access to your personal information
• request corrections to your information.

You can contact us for more information or to request a hard copy of our privacy policies:

Email: privacy@abs.gov.au
Phone: 1300 135 070
Post: Privacy Officer
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Locked Bag 10
Belconnen ACT 2616

For more information about the ABS’ legal authority and the laws that guide our work, visit Monthly Population Survey full Collection Notice.