census collectors come to door and ask questions that invade privacy
By vegegirl
@vegegirl (828)
Australia
August 6, 2011 12:46am CST
In Australia we have a census collection happening this week that is run by the Australian Burea of Statistics ABS). This happens every few years in Australia
In the past they drop off a form, we fill it in on the census night and leave it outside for someone to pick up.
This year someone comes to the door to drop off the form but they also ask you questions that they write onto their notepad. They ask for your first name, then 2nd name, then how many females live here and how many males?
I don't like the fact that single women are telling people that come to the door that they are the only ones that live there, as this is a security risk. It is also a risk for old people who are also victims of crime. The census collector's are usually just employed by the ABS for the census period, so in theory they could do anything with this information. They could even case people's houses themselves.
Do you think the ABS should be doing things this new way? Or just go back to the old way of dropping off forms and information? Do you think this is a security risk?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
7 Aug 11
The ABS is the Australian Bureau of STATISTICS. One thing they do is count the population...that is, males and females.
The Australian privacy laws are extremely strict and the collectors are carefully chosen and have to sign off to keep all information collected private.
Also, each collector has to drop off and collect hundreds of forms...believe me, there is no time to single anyone out or keep track of any one person's info. The census is about numbers and information, not individual people.
There is no security risk and no invasion of privacy.
@RBBantiles (347)
• Philippines
7 Aug 11
That's re-assuring, Friend MsTickle. However, there may be a Constitutional issue touching on the rights of citizens and individuals in this matter. There is also the question of a government agency exercising a function which it is not mandated by law to do.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
7 Aug 11
Hello RBBantiles....The census is a legal exercise and everything is totally above board.
@vegegirl. There are actually about 10 columns that the collector fills in as they drop off and collect the info. It's an intricate exercise with huge amounts of info being collected from many different people. Let me assure you that you are quite safe and so is your info.
I'm pretty sure that a census collector is not the first person, nor the last who knows that someone, whether young or elderly is living alone. The census collector has a pretty big job to do and being interested in people as individuals is something they simply don't have time for.
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
12 Aug 11
It was interesting how they arranged it all this time around. I hope you had a collector with a quiet voice like mine had or else the neighbours & others could overhear & that would be a security / privacy issue.
What was most unusual, was that the collector whom I didn't make contact with the first time he came around to drop off the forms & details, knew exactly when I arrived home (late!) from work & collected the forms then.
I didn't see a problem with how they conducted the census this time around. Maybe next time they could come equipped with spy cameras just to put a face to the info we have provided them with? 
What was most unusual, was that the collector whom I didn't make contact with the first time he came around to drop off the forms & details, knew exactly when I arrived home (late!) from work & collected the forms then.
I didn't see a problem with how they conducted the census this time around. Maybe next time they could come equipped with spy cameras just to put a face to the info we have provided them with? @vegegirl (828)
• Australia
12 Aug 11
Good point about the voice. I don't think my collector had too loud a voice, but I noticed some neighbours didn't come to the door when he knocked, so I guess they must have known there was someone door knocking.
I guess the neighbour's must have told him when you come home? My mum left her's outsided to get collected. We did ours online, so ours didn't get collected.
Did your collector ask you the personal info when he picked up your form?
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
12 Aug 11
Yes, we went through all that, sorry I left that bit out. The nosey neighbours told him! The buggers - just wait 'til I find out who...
@RBBantiles (347)
• Philippines
6 Aug 11
You have raised very valid questions. You should raise these with whoever can represent your voice and view to the ABS and/or Parliament. Your representative should also ask "what for?" are the questions asked.
These are not just valid questions, but they also touch on fundamental human and Constitutional rights: your right to ask questions and to be assured that these will not jeopardize your life, liberty, and property, and to refrain from answering these questions if doing so will jeopardize such.
@vegegirl (828)
• Australia
7 Aug 11
Thanks. One of my friends agreed with this, but her husband went to the door and had already answered these questions, so she couldn't question them. It is quite funny because they give out a brochure that mentions a security envelope you can use to stop the collector reading the information, but they still ask you to give information verbally to the collector, that he writes down.
