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Media release –
Western Australia

Census celebrates NAIDOC Week across Western Australia

5 July 2016 | WA/78

As part of NAIDOC Week, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders culture, history and achievements throughout Western Australia (WA) and encourage people to make sure their voice is heard on Census night Tuesday, 9 August 2016.

WA Census Director, David Waymouth, says NAIDOC Week is an important time to talk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about the Census and why it’s important they take part and identify their origin.

“We know that language and stories passed on from one generation to another maintains Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ connection to country and helps people identify themselves.

“The Census also provides an opportunity for every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person to identify their origin and be counted - which helps planning for important services like schools, healthcare and housing in communities across Australia.”

Census Indigenous Manager, Ollie Smith, says the 2016 Census must reflect true and accurate figures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to ensure appropriate services can be provided.

“This year’s NAIDOC theme Songlines is important to my Aboriginal heritage, because they are based upon the journeys our ancestral beings travelling across the country creating landscape, the animals and the law.

“We must count our people to assist in the planning and infrastructure that will benefit the Aboriginal and Torres Strait population at both national and state levels,” Mr Smith said.

The Census will be conducted in remote communities during July and August 2016, with Remote Area Mobile Teams already working with Indigenous communities to ensure they’re counted in the Census.

From early August, households in urban areas will receive a letter which provides information on how to complete the Census online. It also provides information on how to request a paper form.

The information provided in the Census is kept private and not shared with anyone, including the Police, Housing, Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or Centrelink.

WA Census staff is participating in the Official Opening Ceremony at Perth Elizabeth Quay, City of Armadale NAIDOC Celebration Day, Roeburn Senior High School NAIDOC Concert, Albany NAIDOC Family Fun Day and Town of Bassandean NAIDOC Family Fun Day.



Background information on the 2016 Census of Population and Housing


The 2016 Census of Population and Housing aims to count 10 million dwellings and approximately 24 million people in Australia on Tuesday, 9 August to help shape Australia’s future.

Data from 2006 and 2011 Census showed one in eight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people spoke an Australian Indigenous language at home. Out of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons who spoke an Australian Indigenous language, 18 per cent spoke a language from the Arnhem Land and Daly River Region, 14 per cent spoke Western Desert languages and 11 per cent spoke a Torres Strait Island language.

Data from the 2011 Census told us the largest populations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians lived in New South Wales (208,500 people) and Queensland (189,000 people). Out of Western Australia’s total population (2,239,170 people) there were 69,665 people (3.1 per cent) who identified themselves as either Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin.

For further information on the 2016 Census, visit www.census.abs.gov.au.


Key 2016 Census dates:

Late July to late Aug 2016Census Mobile Teams and Local Census Field Staff visit remote communities
Late July to early Aug 2016 Instruction letters and forms will be delivered
9 August 2016Census night
Mid Aug to late Sept 2016Field visits
April 2017The first results from the 2016 Census released



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