2011 Australian Census

On Tuesday of next week – August 9 – information for the 2011 Census of Population and Housing will be collected from every household in Australia. In preparation for this major event, I have received from the Australian Statistician an information kit for the census. The kit is now in the Central Library at Eastgardens for any resident to access if they want census information.

The information collected via the Australian Census is used almost on a daily basis for our future planning and development of policies. Our planning and policy development are factually based and information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics is often the centre piece of our evidence based development platforms. Perhaps the best example of this can be found in our local playgrounds.  As with the new major playgrounds now being enjoyed at Booralee and Sir Joseph Banks, the new one at Jellicoe Park is where it is because of the changing population in the immediate vicinity.

We base the provision of playgrounds on the census statistics for the immediate and surrounding areas. We see growth in the number of children and we know we will need play and recreational space for them. This principle applies to just about every aspect of Council service delivery – services go where the need is apparent and determination of need is reliant on credible statistics. That’s why the 2011 Census of Population and Housing is vital to us. I urge all our residents to take part in this important community exercise. If anyone requires any more information they can access the Australian Bureau of Statistics information kit at the Central Library in Eastgardens.