2903.0.55.002 - How Australia Takes a Census, 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 06/04/2006  First Issue
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MEDIA RELEASE

April 06, 2006
Embargoed 11:30am (AEST)
C11/2006

2006 Census to Recruit Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Collectors

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) encourages Australians from all cultural and linguistic backgrounds to apply for jobs as Census Collectors. The Census is held every five years and results in an important source of information, which is used by a range of government, business and ethnic community organisations and service providers.

The recruitment of culturally and linguistically diverse Collectors is essential to ensure that the needs of people form a broad range of ethnic backgrounds are able to be met in the Census collection process. This is especially the case in areas across Australia that are rich in this diversity.

The Chairperson of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia, Voula Messimeri, actively supports this recruitment drive.

“The Census defines and details our cultural and linguistic diversity. Having Collectors from diverse backgrounds equips the ABS to connect with these groups and will deliver a higher level of participation,” Ms Messimeri said.

The Head of Census, Mr Paul Williams, said the ABS is keen to receive applications for Collectors from different language and cultural backgrounds.

“People from all walks of life have found these part-time positions a great way of earning extra income over a short eight-week period. Our aim is to employ Collectors from the widest possible backgrounds,” Mr Williams said.

Collectors will deal directly with the public, moving from door to door and delivering and collecting Census forms. Most of the work occurs over the weekends and evenings during the two weeks before and after the Census day and the pay range is $800 - $1,500 depending on the workload.


To apply for employment go to www.abs.gov.au/recruitment or call 1300 236 787.