Why one tiny island's Census is about much more than numbers

In the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, a tiny island spanning just 35 square kilometres will be included in this year's Census.

Home to about 2,100 residents, Norfolk Island has earned a reputation as "one of the most beautiful places on Earth", according to acting general manager of the Norfolk Island Regional Council (NIRC), Nicholas Mostardo.

He moved to the subtropical island early this year and says its natural beauty and close-knit community make it unlike anywhere else.

"It's got a rich environment, it's got very warm and kind people. It's probably one of the most unique places in the world that I've had personally the pleasure of being involved with," Mostardo told SBS News.

NIRC is currently under administration until 31 December 2026, as Norfolk Island transitions to what the Australian government has described as a "new bespoke governance model".

In the interim, Mostardo has been liaising with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to help ensure Norfolk Island's population is recorded during the Census of Population and Housing on 11 August.

"We've had several visits from the ABS zone manager and the assistant director of Census Mainstream and Enumeration. They've been coming out to ensure the community is well engaged and consulted on completing the form."

A decade in the making

The Census has been conducted in Australia for more than a century, but this will be the third time Norfolk Island has ever participated in the survey. It also marks a decade since the Australian government passed reforms that led to the island being included in the Census.

It's a change that was considered contentious by some.

In 1914, Norfolk became an Australian territory, but the "precise constitutional arrangement was not clear at the time", according to an online statement by legal advisory firm Norfolk Advisory.

Around 65 years later, the Australian parliament allowed Norfolk Islanders to form a limited self-government. Following governance reforms passed in 2015 and implemented in 2016, the Australian government assumed responsibility for the island's governance.

In 2023, Norfolk Island regained some involvement in its affairs through the establishment of a new advisory body, the Norfolk Island Governance Committee. The island is now considered an external territory of Australia.

This complex history has divided some people — including those of Pitcairn descent — about whether Norfolk Island should be counted during Australia's Census.

Pitcairn Islanders were a genetic mix of Tahitian and English, the English part being direct descendants from the mutineers on the HMS Bounty — a bloodline that still runs strong today. In 1856, 194 people arrived on Norfolk Island from the neighbouring Pitcairn Islands.

According to information shared with SBS News by Norfolk Island People for Democracy (NIPD), Pitcairn Islanders have a distinct culture and speak the Norf'k-Pitcairn language (also known as 'Pitkern-Norf'k' or 'Norfolk'), which blends 18th-century English and Tahitian.

NIPD has previously petitioned for the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation to recognise and list Norfolk Island as a non-self-governing territory. The group has described Australia's relationship with the island as a "bloodless genocide".

Norfolk Island ancestry

The ABS did not provide a statement to SBS News regarding Norfolk Island's participation in the Census. It did refer to online information available about how to complete the Census on Norfolk Island.

The ABS outlines that "ancestry data reported for Norfolk Island from the 2021 Census is not comparable with ancestry data reported from censuses prior to and including 2011". That's because of differences in the way the ancestry question was asked.

The 2011 Norfolk Island Census asked a specific question about whether a person was of Pitcairn descent. It reported that 38.4 per cent of the population identified as having Pitcairn descent.

In Australia's 2016 Census, people could identify up to two responses when asked about their ancestry, with 29.6 per cent of usual residents indicating they had Pitcairn ancestry. During the 2021 Census, this decreased to 25.1 per cent.

The ABS notes that the number of people with Pitcairn ancestry increased from 484 in 2016 to 550 in 2021. This year, people can list up to four responses on the ancestry question.

Mostardo told SBS News that the ABS has made "some new arrangements" to provide a "better reflection of responses for people that live on Norfolk Island". He believes that has alleviated "some of the concerns that the community had [about the ancestry question] with prior censuses".

"The Census is important to Norfolk. You know, it really will assist us and the Commonwealth government with funding arrangements for the island; assisting with things like strategic planning and economic capacity as well," he said.

The Council of Elders, Norfolk Island — which serves as the elected leaders and custodians of traditional knowledge and expressions of culture on Norfolk Island — has posted content on social media regarding the Census.

In response to one Facebook user who questioned why Norfolk Island was included in the Australian Census, the group responded: "In 2016, when the ABS took over the Census, there were many shortfalls for Norfolk. The change made long-term planning for Norfolk difficult.

"As the Council of Elders' role is to advocate for the community, it became evident that we need to know more about the composition of our community today. The Council of Elders has engaged with the ABS to try to achieve this."

Households on Norfolk Island can complete the Census online or by using the paper form provided.

Paper forms can be returned to the Supper Room on the island during the morning from 10 August to 16 August. Otherwise, Census field officers will return to collect forms in the provided privacy envelope.

The ABS specified that forms should not be mailed back.

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