Explainer: What is the census, and why does it matter?

The census plays an essential role in Australias public life. It provides the raw data with which policies can be planned and outcomes assessed write Nicholas Biddle and Maxine Montaigne.

Preparing for the census in the Indigenous community of Warburton, WA Source: AAP

The ABS describes the census as a:

… snapshot of Australia, showing how our nation has changed over time, allowing us to plan for the future.

Census data have a real impact on the lives of Australians, from determining political representation through the distribution of electorates, to the allocation of government funding, as well as private investment based on projected demand for goods and services.

Australia uses the census to evaluate how well it is progressing on myriad issues, such as Indigenous policy, the distribution of health outcomes by socioeconomic inequality and to plan for population growth.