2.0 OVERVIEW OF SUBMISSIONS
2.1 A total of 915 submissions were received during the consultation period. This includes 45 submissions received in the lead up to the 2011 Census, but were later deferred due to the decision to conduct the 2011 Census with minimal change because of financial constraints. Submissions were received from a range of organisations, including government departments across all levels of government, private sector organisations, individuals, community groups and not-for-profit organisations, academics/researchers and others (mainly interest/lobby groups), see Figure 1.
Figure 1: Number of submissions on the 2016 Census topics by submitter type
(a) As reported by submitter.
(b) Community organisation/not for profit group.
(c) Includes lobby and interest groups, advisory groups and associations.
2.2 Submissions were received on 43 of the 49 topics described in the information paper:
Census of Population and Housing: Consultation on Content and Procedures, 2016 (cat. no. 2007.0). Table 1 lists the number of submissions. They are listed under four broad groupings based on the initial ABS proposals outlined in the information paper, released in November 2012. The groups are: recommended for retention, to be reviewed, recommended for exclusion, and potential new topics.
Table 1: Number of submissions by topic
| Topic | Submissions about 2016 Census content | Submissions about 2011 Census content | 2016 and 2011 submissions combined |
| Recommended for Retention in the November 2012 Consultation information paper |
| Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin | 5 |  | 5 |
| Address on Census night | | | |
| Age | | 1 | 1 |
| Attendance at an educational institution | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Country of birth | | 1 | 1 |
| Family relationship/Social marital status | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| Highest year of schooling | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Hours worked | 6 | | 6 |
| Housing costs | 2 | | 2 |
| Income | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Industry of employment | 18 | | 18 |
| Internal migration | 3 | | 3 |
| Labour force status | 3 | | 3 |
| Landlord type | | | |
| Location of private dwelling | | | |
| Main language other than English spoken at home | 4 | | 4 |
| Mode of travel to work | 8 | | 8 |
| Name | | | |
| Non-school qualifications | 4 | | 4 |
| Number of bedrooms | | | |
| Occupation | 25 | | 25 |
| Proficiency in spoken English | 1 | | 1 |
| Registered marital status | 3 | | 3 |
| Religious affiliation | 438 | 6 | 444 |
| Residential status in a non-private dwelling | | | |
| Sex | 12 | 1 | 13 |
| Structure of private dwelling | 1 | | 1 |
| Tenure type | 1 | | 1 |
| Type of non-private dwelling | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Usual residence at Census time | 5 | | 5 |
| Workplace address/Journey to work | 2 | | 2 |
| Year of arrival in Australia | | | |
| Recommended for Review in the November 2012 Consultation information paper |
| Ancestry | 28 | 1 | 29 |
| Australian citizenship | 12 | | 12 |
| Country of birth of parents | 20 | | 20 |
| Government/Non-Government employer | 10 | | 10 |
| Internet access | 16 | 2 | 18 |
| Need for assistance | 21 | 1 | 22 |
| Status in employment | 9 | | 9 |
| Unpaid work | 22 | 2 | 24 |
| Recommended for Exclusion in the November 2012 Consultation information paper |
| Community Development Employment program | 4 | | 4 |
| Employment type | 4 | | 4 |
| Number of children ever born | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| Number of motor vehicles garaged | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| Potential New Topics Recommended in the November 2012 Consultation information paper |
| Educational institution address/Journey to education | 21 | | 21 |
| Long-term health conditions | 28 | | 28 |
| Mode of travel to educational institution | 9 | | 9 |
| Second residence/Ownership of other dwelling | 26 | 3 | 29 |
| Sources of income | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| Other topics(a) | 41 | 8 | 49 |
| Other submissions(b) | 15 | 6 | 21 |
| Total submissions | 870 | 45 | 915 |
(a)Submissions in this category proposed a range of potential new topics for consideration, see paragraphs 6.15 - 6.16 for more details.
(b)Submissions in this category provided comments on a range of Census procedures, see paragraphs 6.17 - 6.20 for more details.
2.3 Table 2 lists the top five topics by number of submissions. The submissions for the top five topics accounted for approximately 61% of the total submissions. This was mainly driven by submissions received on Religious affiliation, which accounted for approximately 49% of all submissions.
Table 2: Top five(a) topics by number of submissions
| Topic | 2016 and 2011 submissions combined |
| Religious affiliation | 444 |
| Ancestry | 29 |
| Second residence/Ownership of other dwelling | 29 |
| Long-term health conditions | 28 |
| Occupation | 25 |
| Total of top five submissions received | 555 |
| Total submissions received | 915 |
(a)The top five topics do not consider the 'other topics' and 'other submissions' category because they combine a range of topics, see paragraphs 6.15 - 6.20.
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