Counting Down to Census 2021 - Hope 103.2

Counting Down to Census 2021

The 2021 Australian Census will take place in August and here is how the data will be used to inform decision-making.

By Mark McCrindleWednesday 14 Apr 2021NewsReading Time: 2 minutes

The 2021 Australian Census is just under 200 days away.

As demographers, there are fewer exciting occasions in our calendar.

As the largest statistical collection undertaken in Australia, the Census of Population and Housing is the most reliable and comprehensive source of information on who we are and how we are changing.

This month, the Census website will be launched and from late July, households will start receiving their Census instructions. Census night will be on Tuesday, August 10.

quote which reads more than 5,800 years after the world's first census, the 2021 australian census is just under 200 days away

How the insights are used

Insights from the Census are used in the public and private sectors to plan for services, infrastructure, and investments. Census data also underpins the allocation of Commonwealth funding to states, territories, and local governments. It informs electoral boundaries, a critical element of the democratic process, and it provides the basis for decision making about schools, healthcare facilities, community spaces, social services, transport infrastructure, and many other foundational services and structures for society.

It also provides reliable information for all who are seeking to understand the Australian society and economy.

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With the mammoth task of collecting and analysing the data of more than 25 million people and 10 million households, the Australian Bureau of Statistics intend to release the 2021 Census data in a staged approach.

  • June 2022 is the first and main release of data. Demographic information and population and housing data will be available for almost all geographic output.
  • October 2022 is the second release of data, comprising mostly of labour force data and location-based variables such as method of travel to work and internal migration.
  • Early to mid 2023 is the third release, covering complex topics that require additional processing, such as socio-economic indexes for areas, distance to work, and estimates of homelessness.

While it may seem like a long time between the Census and the availability of results, the importance and significance of the Census most certainly requires reliability and accuracy over haste.


Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle.

About the Author: McCrindle are a team of researchers and communications specialists who discover insights, and tell the story of Australians – what we do, and who we are.

Feature image: Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash