On Census night, Australians will share personal details, including their name and address, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
These particulars are kept strictly confidential and are not disclosed to police, migration authorities, or any governmental agency.
Jenny Telford, who manages the Census and Population division at the ABS, emphasized that the protection of personal data is of utmost importance.
“The ABS is bound by stringent safeguards, including legal provisions, ensuring that no information can be released in a manner that could identify individuals or households,” she explained to SBS News.
“As you complete the Census form, your name and address are detached early in our process from other responses, and we are committed to destroying these details after processing and compiling the necessary statistics for Australia.”
Who can access Census information?
Since 1911, names and addresses have been collected as part of the national Census of Population and Housing.
The ABS reports collecting this information improves the “accuracy and efficiency of data linkage” and the quality of statistics.
The agency also states people’s addresses are collected to:
- Produce accurate population estimates for regions
- Ensure that no household is missed in the Census
- Provide insights into internal migration within Australia
After the Census processing period is complete, no-one working with Census data is able to view personal identifiers at the same time as survey results.
What the ABS can and cannot share
Names included in this year’s Census forms will be retained for up to 18 months after the Census, until the end of February 2028. Addresses are retained for a maximum of 36 months until the end of August 2029.
People can also choose to have their information preserved for 99 years as part of the Census Time Capsule. This information is securely transferred to the National Archives of Australia, the agency responsible for collecting and preserving government documents.
Personal information cannot be accessed for any reason until 2125. If a person elects to transfer their information to the archives, this decision cannot be reversed, according to the ABS.
All ABS staff, including temporary employees, are legally bound to never release information collected during the Census. This includes staff past or present.
Penalties for sharing information collected during the Census (whether directly or indirectly) include fines of up to $26,400 and up to two years’ imprisonment.
Personal information is protected under the 1905 Census and Statistics Act.