NAME
JUSTIFICATION
The collection of information regarding name is regarded as being essential for the conduct of an accurate and high quality Census. The ABS view is that name be included.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The inclusion of names in the Census does raise privacy concerns even though the confidentiality of data provided is carefully guarded. The Census and Statistics Act 1905 requires that no identifiable information about an individual be made available to any other person, government agency or private organisation.
Prior to the 2001 Census, names were not retained after processing of the data was completed. For the 2001 and 2006 Censuses, name-identified Census information was provided to the National Archives of Australia to be preserved for release for future genealogical and other research after a closed access period of 99 years, but only where a person explicitly consented to their data being retained for this purpose.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Names have been requested in all previous Censuses.
PURPOSE
Names are essential for the conduct of a high quality post-enumeration survey which is used to measure the level of under-enumeration in the Census. These measures are an important component in the estimation of the resident population of each of the states, territories and local government areas as required by the A New Tax System (Commonwealth State Financial Arrangements) Act 1999 and the Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995. This is also used to determine the number of seats allocated to each state and territory in the House of Representatives in accordance with the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.
Names are used with other information to help determine, for coding purposes, the composition of households, especially where households consist of more than one family. They are used by Census Collectors to help ensure all forms are accounted for and where they need to refer back to individuals within households.
Including names on Census forms reduces the incidence of non-completion and inaccurate responses. The Australian Law Reform Commission, in its 1979 report on Privacy and the Census, found that an anonymous Census would result in an unacceptable level of non-response and an equally unacceptable bias in responses.
2006 CENSUS QUESTION
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