Today, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, the Hon Chris Pearce MP, observed that the next national Census of Population and Housing is not far away. The Census 2006, which will be conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), will be held on the evening of 8 August next year — so there are less than 10 months to go.
‘The national Census 2006 is vital in gathering information that is used for a range of planning purposes not only by all levels of government but also by private institutions and the community. The national Census 2006 will not only reveal how many we are, as Australians, but tell us about who we are.
‘The Census creates jobs for Australians in all States and Territories. A field force of 30,000 people, including Area Supervisors and Collectors, will be employed across Australia next year to ensure the success of the Census 2006.
‘I am pleased to announce that in Western Australia, there will be approximately 3,150 people employed for the Census 2006. This figure is based on the indicative numbers of collection districts.’
Mr Pearce explained that recruitment for the Census 2006 will be undertaken in two stages. Recruitment for area supervisors will commence in February 2006 and in April for other Collectors. All of these jobs will be advertised accordingly.
Mr Pearce also explained that once the Census forms have been collected, they will then need to be processed.
‘A Data Processing Centre has been established in the heart of Melbourne, at the old National Australia Bank headquarters at 278 Flinders Lane.
‘The Data Processing Centre will be the destination for all the nation’s Census forms — about 9million of them — once they are collected after Census night.
‘Up to 860 jobs will be created to process this Census data.’
Some recruitment for the Data Processing Centre has already been filled, but the great bulk of the jobs are still to be allocated. Applications for these jobs can be made in May next year, when they will be advertised in the print media. The jobs will start a couple of months later in July 2006.
‘The Census is a great and significant national undertaking. This is every Australian’s opportunity to play a key role in painting the picture of Australia,’ Mr Pearce said.
20 October 2005
MELBOURNE
Contact:
Andrew Conway (Mr Pearce’s Office) 03 9887 3890
Mark Uhlmann (ABS) 02 6252 5691; 0407 107 931