2011 Census News Release

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors – will you be one?

Australia’s largest ever peace time job drive has begun.

From today, approximately 29,000 casual Census Collector jobs are available.

Across Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors are needed to help the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) deliver and collect approximately 14.2 million Census forms to Australia’s 9.8 million households.

Director of Census in Queensland, Sally Pritchard, said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors are crucial to the success of the Census and ensuring that everyone in Australia is accurately counted.

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors make an enormous difference to the quality and accuracy of the data that we produce from the Census. The data has benefits for every state and every community," Ms Pritchard said.

“We understand the only way to get a successful snapshot of Australia is to work hand-in-hand with Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities," she said.

Ms Pritchard said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collectors may offer interviews where appropriate in some Indigenous communities and households.

“Throughout Australia there are hundreds of Indigenous languages spoken. The more locals who become involved in the Census, the more accurate the count,” she said.

Applicant information kits are available online at www.abs.gov.au/census or call 1800 420 182.

Key Census dates

• 9 April 2011 – Recruitment of Census Collectors begins.
• 28 July 2011 – eCensus opens to the public.
• 9 August 2011 – Census night.
• 10 August – Early September 2011 – Collection of Census forms.
• June 2012 – The first results from the 2011 Census will be released.