Media release–
New South Wales
45 Census Collectors hit the streets and roads of Bathurst29 July 2011 | NSW/9045 Census Collectors will hit the streets and roads of Bathurst and surrounds this Friday, to deliver Census forms to every home, farm, hotel and hospital and ensure every person is accurately counted on Census night, Tuesday, 9 August. Census Area Supervisor John Down has had an eventful twelve months. The former Executive Member of the Bathurst Chamber of Commerce underwent a triple by-pass and spent three months in a coma, but nothing was going to stop him from helping on his fifth Census. "I’ve been working on the Census since 1986. I look forward to the Census every five years because I get a lot of satisfaction from it. "I believe the Census is very important. Census information helps decision makers plan our future facilities and services. That's why it's vital everyone in the region completes a Census form so the figures are accurate and services can be planned to reflect our needs," John says. Raised in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, John moved to the Blue Mountains before settling in Bathurst in 1987 and has been running a commercial photography business for the past 18 years. “We came to Bathurst on my honeymoon and decided there and then to return one day to live. "Bathurst is a major regional city that doesn't rely solely on the rural community for its existence. Education is a major employer, and as a teacher, that had an obvious appeal," John adds. This year’s Census will be the second time people can complete the Census online using eCensus, and it’s expected up to thirty per cent of households will choose this method. More information is available online at www.abs.gov.au/census or by calling the Census Inquiry Service on 1300 338 776 |