Media release –
New South Wales
Planning in the ACT counts on the Census3 August 2011 | NSW/98360 Census Collectors have been pounding the pavements and knocking on doors across Canberra since Friday to deliver Census forms to every home, apartment block and hospital and ensure every person is accurately counted on Census night, Tuesday 9 August. ACT Census head Stephen Collett, knows first-hand the importance of Census data for the Territory, having previously held the position of Manager, Data Analysis and Planning for the ACT Department of Education and Director at the Commonwealth Grants Commission. “It’s vital that decision makers, whether in the public or private sectors, have accurate statistics about the population so that they can plan the right services," Stephen says. "On a larger scale, Census information helps to allocate significant sums of funding, including $45 billion worth of GST to the states and territories, in an efficient and effective manner. "On a local level, councils plan community services and infrastructure years in advance based upon accurate Census figures." A shining example of Census information being used for town planning is Gungahlin in the northern suburbs of Canberra. “In my previous roles I was involved in planning future services for Gungahlin when it was only a couple of suburbs and a few shops. Now Gungahlin is home to more than 40,000 people with some of the best facilities and infrastructure in Australia. "The value to the community of Census information is many times greater than its cost. "So make sure you open your door to a Census Collector this week and help plan a brighter future for our community," Stephen adds. More information is available online at www.abs.gov.au/census or by calling the Census Inquiry Service on 1300 338 776 |