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Census
So if they are going to destroy names and addresses within 4 years, why do they need them in the first place?
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Comments
so they know when the next Olympics are on.
Hah hah hah!!
Oh wait. That makes no sense.
Did you know that you can be fined $180 PER DAY for not completing the census? This is F@%!@*&;@^$ insane.
Census site is down.
What a pack of idiots.
The good news is that the population of Australia is 2.5 million, so heading in the right direction.
When you say "Pack of idiots"... who exactly do you mean? I believe ABS outsourced the project.. ??
We just filled out the snail mail form. Couldn't be arsed doing it online.
They use the names to cross check to ensure data completeness & integrity across the entire dataset. Then they toss them (figuratively).
All the data they make available is anominised. Even if you want to access this data, you have to give them more personal information than you provided on the census form.
Besides, most people's social networking profiles make the concept of anonimity and privacy in this modern age an anachronism. Finding out where JohnR lives, works and socialises these days is almost as simple as a Google search (for example). And the public service knows more than that...because you've already told them when you filled in your tax records and Medicare claim forms (for example)
The reason they are keeping the data for four years (rather than the 18 months they have traditionally done - unless you approve your name to be retained and reinstated after 99 years) is that, due to budget cuts, it will now take four years to do what used to take 18 months. That's your efficiency dividend at work.
Filled it out last night on line , no probs .
Get asked more personal questions when I want to buy pain killers at the chemist :-|
Like "does it hurt when you have sex? "
Seano, good idea, I think I will call them tomorrow and ask for a paper form.
Still... if the public service already has the information, then what is the census for? (I'm actually wondering now).
Nigel - the idiots that believed you can take a website from zero to millions of users in one night. And the people that a. can't work out how many hits millions of users will actually make and b. forgot to account for illegitimate traffic. Doh!
It's a head count (with bonus data) with the primary identifier being statistical areas (not people) that is intent on answering a simple question - How many people of what age and with what skills and financial resources live where? The bonus data allows us to interrogate the dataset to determine what their requirements are, primarily in terms of government services.
And it is one dataset....anything else would be cobbled together from a range of other data sources which would all have to be filtered first to remove the irrelevant information. So it would have potentially poor precision and accuracy. Which impacts on its statistical value. It would also be a nightmare to compile. In addition, this dataset would never be able to reflect the mobility of the population at any one time.
We could live without the census. But then how would we appropriately target the budgeting for and delivery of government services? We could do it like they do in India, Indonesia, The Philipines and many other countries...or perhaps not.
How is someone to know how many people slept in the house that night?
Anyone could have broken in, had their wicked way with me and left in the morning.....
happens all the time.
Good question. And what if you wake up curled around the letterbox? Does that count as sleeping in the house?
Too many questions from more than too many fools!
Does the census count that too?
:-P
Not exactly...but it can be implied from the data.
I ordered a paper form today. I have to say it went very smoothly.
Thank you Seano, I do appreciate the measured and informative response.
I could manage the alternative if that's what you need?
Mind you...if anyone thinks that the government and/or public service can manage a good old fashioned 'conspiracy' then it might be useful to dwell on the ABS's performance in this particular episode.