Media release –
National
2011 Census - celebrating NAIDOC week4 July 2011 | CO/23The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is encouraging all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to participate in the Census of Population and Housing on Tuesday, 9 August 2011. Speaking at the beginning of 2011 NAIDOC Week, acting First Assistant Statistician, Dr Jill Charker says it’s important that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are accurately counted. “I encourage all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to self-identify so the allocation of funds for services such as housing, education and health can be distributed to Indigenous communities,” Dr Charker says. This year’s national NAIDOC theme inspires all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be proud of who they are and to be involved in the planning of a brighter future for Australia. Anne Martin, Co-chair of the National NAIDOC Committee says all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people need to participate in the Census. “The information collected at Census time is used to plan for the future of our country. This year's national NAIDOC theme, ‘Change – the next step is ours’, is all about the future, and we need to make sure we're a part of it,” Ms Martin says. Census advocate Joel Wenitong from hip hop band, The Last Kinection is calling on everyone who identifies as being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin to record this on their Census form. “You need to be loud and proud and tell the Census mob who you are and where you come from so all our mob can benefit,” Mr Wenitong says. National NAIDOC Week is 3 – 10 July and is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and an opportunity to recognise the contributions of Indigenous Australians. For more information visit www.abs.gov.au/census. |