1200.0.55.003 - Religious Affiliation Standard, 2012, Version 1.1  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/09/2012  First Issue
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Appendix A - Explanatory Script



This document provides a brief explanatory note about why Religious Affiliation is collected and detailed instructions about how to answer the question. Part or all of the explanatory note and instructions can be included with the chosen question module or in supplementary documentation.

RELIGION QUESTION - WHY IS IT ASKED?

Data collected on religious affiliation informs religious organisations about how many people of their religious group there are in different parts of Australia.

The data is used by religious organisations to assess the need for religiously based schools, hospitals, community services and homes for the elderly. The data is also used to assist researchers from secular and non secular universities and to assist governments at all levels to make appropriate policy for the people of Australia.

RELIGION QUESTION - HOW TO ANSWER

If alternatives one or two of the question module are used in the survey instrument, the following optional instructions may be added to the question module or included in supplementary documentation:

If a person's religion is an Eastern Catholic religion such as Maronite Catholic, Melkite Catholic or Ukrainian Catholic, record the name of the religion in the space adjacent 'Other - please specify'.
People who have non-theistic religious beliefs or other life philosophies should record their response in the space adjacent 'Other - please specify'.
If a person identifies with no religion at all, mark the 'No religion' box.