Census - did you know?

• The Census will be held on Tuesday, 9 August 2011.
• This is the 16th Census and marks 100 years of national Census taking in Australia.
• The 2011 Census will cost about $440 million, or about $19 per person.
• The Census is the largest peace time operation conducted in Australia.
• The Census will be conducted in discrete communities throughout August 2011.
• Local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be employed in discrete communities to help conduct the Census.
• The Census Inquiry Service (CIS) language helpline caters for 10 of the most commonly used languages in Australia (Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Korean, Persian, Turkish, Spanish, Greek, Russian).
• Australians claim more than 250 ancestries and speak 400 languages at home (based on 2006 Census data).
• The Census provides job opportunities for about 43,000 Australians.
• Most Collectors will be responsible for delivering and collecting forms from about 500 households in cities or about 200 households in regional areas.
• The eCensus should be completed on Census night, 9 August 2011.
• The eCensus is a fast, easy and secure alternative to the traditional paper form, with online help available.
• This is the second time the eCensus option has been available.
• It’s expected that 30 per cent of the population will choose the eCensus option.

Key Census dates:

• 28 July 2011 – eCensus opens to the public.
• 29 July 2011 – Distribution of Census forms begins.
• 9 August 2011 – Census night.
• From 10 August – Collection of Census forms.
• June 2012 – The first results from the 2011 Census will be released.