Chris Kenny:
I’m joined by the Assistant Treasurer in Canberra, Michael Sukkar. Good to talk to you, again Michael.
Minister Sukkar:
Good day, Chris.
Chris Kenny:
First thing about this Census is that last time there was all sorts of IT problems and cyber-attacks. Are we all clear and safe this year?
Minister Sukkar:
Well look, touch wood, Chris. We’ve had a really successful start to the Census. At last count we had 4 million surveys returned which covers about 10.5 million Australians so we’re about 40 per cent of the way through. Obviously a lot of Australians, in the tradition of a Census night, will log on tonight or fill out their forms tonight but touch wood, we’ve avoided any issues but we won’t call mission accomplished until it’s all said and done. We’ve invested a lot in the digital capability this year, not only to make the Census more initiative and more user friendly but also to ensure that from a security perspective, it’s secure. Not only the data secure is secure with end-to-end encryption but that the system itself is. We worked with the Australian Cyber Security Centre, ASD, the Department of Defence, we’ve invested a whole lot into it. I’ll be heading over shortly to the ABS and we’ll be keeping a very close eye on it all night.
Chris Kenny:
Are there many questions that are new and when it comes to gender options, are there additional options there that haven’t been available before?
Minister Sukkar:
The two new questions this time around, Chris, are two really important questions. One asks about long term chronic health issues, which clearly informs a whole lot of planning in relation to health. Consistent with the Morrison Government’s work that we’ve done with veterans, we’re asking – for the first time – a question about ADF service, to get a better picture of where our former service personnel are around Australia. In relation to gender, we have obviously a male and a female option and for those who are not comfortable with either of those, they can chose a non-binary box.
Chris Kenny:
Now we’ve talked a bit on this program about the campaign on religion. People have their own choice, people – of course – don’t need to listen to anyone else’s advice about how to fill in their Census. But are you worried by that campaigning or is that legitimate, I suppose?
Minister Sukkar:
There is a very fine line. I am concerned about it because we want Australians to answer the Census honestly and they shouldn’t be interfered with in relation to those things. Do I think it’s a problem? Probably not, Chris. In reading The Australian the other day, clearly these are fringe groups, very strange groups. I mean one of them was praising satanism, for example. I think that probably a polite way to describe them is fringe-dwellers so I doubt many Australians will listen to them and their campaign.
Chris Kenny:
Indeed, talk about dealing with the devil.
Thanks for joining us, Michael. I appreciate it.
Minister Sukkar:
Good on you, Chris.