2016 Australian census

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) states the aim of the 2016 Australian census is "to count every person who spent Census night, 9 August 2016, in Australia".

The census covers every Australian state and mainland territory, as well as the external territories of Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island. It does not include the other external territories of Australia. People who leave Australia but do not go through migration formalities are included, counted as part of an "Off-Shore Statistical Areas Level 1" in Tasmania. This includes those on oil and gas rigs near Australia and those at the Australian bases of the Australian Antarctic Territory. Visitors to Australia are included, regardless of how long they are staying for, however those who have been in the country less than a year answer fewer questions on the census. People who enter Australia but do not go through migration formalities are excluded. This includes those on ships in Australian waters that remain on the ship at port. Foreign diplomats and their families or those who travel on a diplomatic passport are excluded, as per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Those on vessels between Australian ports, or planes between Australian airports are included.{{cite web |title=Scope and coverage – 2016 Census |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/2901.0Chapter51652016 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics |date=23 August 2016 |access-date=9 June 2021}}

All private dwellings are counted. Caravans in caravan parks and manufactured homes in manufactured home estates are counted if they are occupied. Non-private dwellings are included if they are occupied. This includes hotels, hospitals and prisons. Non occupied residences of owners, managers or caretakers are included and unoccupied, self contained residences in retirement villages are included.

The 2016 census had a response rate of 95.1% and a net undercount of 1.0%, with 63% of people completing the Census online.{{cite web |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/7E65A144540551D7CA258148000E2B85?OpenDocument |title=2016 Census |work=Australian Bureau of Statistics |publisher=Australian Government |date=27 June 2017 }}

In the period leading up to census date the Australian Government decided that the retention period for names and addresses would be increased to up to four years, from 18 months in the 2006 and 2011 censuses, leading to concerns about privacy and data security. As such, some Australian Senate crossbenchers (from the Greens, Nick Xenophon Team and Jacqui Lambie Network) said they would not complete those specific sections of the census,{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-09/scott-ludlam-wont-put-name-on-census-form/7703380|title=Census 2016: Christopher Pyne criticises politicians withholding details over privacy fears|work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=9 August 2016|author=Anderson, Stephanie |access-date=18 August 2016}} despite the fines associated with incorrect completion of the census.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the first release of census data became available to the public on the ABS website on 11 April 2017, two months earlier than for any previous census. The second release of data occurred on 27 June 2017 and a third data release was from 17 October 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/2011.0.55.001 |title=2011.0.55.001 – Information Paper: Census of Population and Housing – Products and Services, 2016 |author= |date=22 December 2016 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |access-date=2 February 2017 }}

File:Census in Australia 2016, ABS website error.png

For the first time, the ABS significantly favoured internet submission of census forms over the traditional paper forms, claiming it expected more than 65% of Australians would complete the census online.{{cite press release |title=Get ready to get digital with the 2016 Census| url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/EC8D47BE72A97E7ECA257E9A00131583?OpenDocument| date=9 August 2015| publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics }} Reflecting this new preference, the tagline of the ad campaign for the census was the rhyming slogan "Get online on August 9".{{cite AV media |title=Official Ad From Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://youtube.com/qQEZbVzomec?t=21s |work=YouTube }}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/getonline |title=Get online on August 9 |date=9 August 2016 |work=Australian Bureau of Statistics |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=10 August 2016}} Across many regions, paper forms were no longer delivered by default to homes, and households that wished to complete a paper census had to order such forms via an automated hotline. Letters were sent to each dwelling with unique code numbers that people would need to either login to the census website, or order a paper form if they preferred.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/census-2016-to-be-100-million-cheaper-and-all-digital-on-august-9-20150808-giumyh.html |title=Census 2016 to be $100 million cheaper and all digital, on August 9 |date=9 August 2015 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |author=Martin, Peter |access-date=9 August 2015}} By census night, many households had still not received such a letter.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/census-delay-for-residents-without-letters/3074116/|title=Census delay for residents without letters|last=Smith|first=Lucy|date=9 August 2016|work=Mackay Daily Mercury|access-date=11 February 2018|language=en}} Contrary to previous years where censuses were both delivered and retrieved from households by dedicated census employees, in 2016 most of the paperwork relating to the census was delivered from and to the ABS by Australia Post.

The 2016 census was met by a significant controversy, which meant that many Australians could not complete the census online on the designated census day.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-09/2016-census-to-be-delivered-online-for-speed-and-convenience/6682732|title=Census goes digital: 2016 survey to be delivered online for speed, convenience|work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=9 August 2015|author=Borrello, Eliza |access-date=9 August 2015}} The ABS census website shut down at about 7:30 pm AEST on the night the census was to be completed. According to the ABS, throughout 9 August the census website received four denial-of-service attacks. At 7:30 pm, when the site was being heavily used, a software failure meant that the ABS was unable to keep blocking the denial-of-service attacks, leading to the failure of a router. As a result, the ABS decided to close down the system as a precaution. The 15th Chief Statistician, David Kalisch stated that no census data were compromised.{{cite news|title=Census: How the Government says the website meltdown unfolded|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-10/census-night-how-the-shambles-unfolded/7712964|access-date=11 August 2016|work=ABC News|date=10 August 2016}}{{cite press release |work=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/5239447C98B47FD0CA25800B00191B1A?OpenDocument |title=2016 Census – 9 August online form outage update |date=10 August 2016 |access-date=10 August 2016}}{{cite news |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-37008173 |title=Australian census attacked by hackers |date=10 August 2016 |access-date=10 August 2016 }} The Australian Signals Directorate assisted the ABS to bring the infrastructure back online more than 24 hours after the closure.{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-11/census-website-still-down-24-hours-after-crashing/7718584|title=Census website still down after cyber attacks|date=10 August 2016|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=10 August 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22publications%2Ftabledpapers%2Fa41f4f25-a08e-49a7-9b5f-d2c8af94f5c5%22|title=Review of the events surrounding the 2016 eCensus: Improving institutional cyber security culture and practices across the Australian government—Alastair MacGibbon, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Cyber Security—Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |date=13 October 2016|publisher=Australian Parliament |access-date=13 October 2016}}{{cite web |title=ABS Chief Statistician reveals to ABC NewsRadio the census website was taken down after four cyber-attacks from an overseas source |url=http://www.abc.net.au/newsradio/content/s4515560.htm|work=ABC News |location=Australia |access-date=10 August 2016 |date=10 August 2016}} The census website was restored at 2:30 pm on 11 August.{{cite press release |title=2016 Census – Online form update: 3.00 pm, August 11 |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/5239447C98B47FD0CA25800B00191B1A?OpenDocument |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |access-date=11 August 2016 |date=11 August 2016}}

On the same day Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stated his unhappiness over the event, which had "been a failure of the ABS", with his expectation that "heads will roll" once a review was complete.{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-11/census-malcolm-turnbull-slams-abs-over-failure/7718584|title=Angry PM slams ABS 'failure' as census website goes back online|date=10 August 2016|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=11 August 2016}} Leader of the opposition Bill Shorten said that the 2016 census had been the "worst-run ... in the history of Australia".{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/census-2016-outage-labor-calls-for-census-minister-michael-mccormack-to-resign/news-story/7d8cd5bfaadfbc852311be165b0cc0b8|title=Census hacking: Privacy Commissioner investigates as Nick Xenophon calls for Senate inquiry|work=news.com.au|date=10 August 2016|access-date=13 August 2016|author1=Vickey, Kara |author2=Wilson, Gemma }} The ABS blamed service provider IBM for the failure in the online census, saying that IBM had advised on the preparedness and resilience to DDoS attacks and had not offered any further protections that could be employed.{{cite news|title=Census 2016: ABS targets service provider IBM over botched survey|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-23/abs-targets-service-provider-ibm-over-botched-census/7873034|website=ABC News |date=23 September 2016 |location=Australia |access-date=16 November 2016}} On 31 August, Parliament initiated an inquiry into the 2016 census.{{cite web|title=2016 Census Inquiry|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/2016Census|website=Australian Parliament House|publisher=Australian Parliament House|access-date=24 September 2016}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/2016Census/Report |title=2016 Census Senate Inquiry Report |publisher=Australian Parliament|access-date=26 August 2017}} It released its findings on 24 November and found that no individual party was responsible but it was shared between the government, IBM, and the sub-contractors.{{cite news|title=Government, IBM and ABS all criticised as Census failure reports released|url=http://www.afr.com/technology/government-ibm-and-abs-all-criticised-as-census-failure-reports-released-20161124-gswzrv|access-date=26 November 2016|work=Financial Review|location=Australia|date=24 November 2016}}

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that IBM made a "very substantial financial settlement" with the Commonwealth as compensation for the failure of the 2016 online Census.{{cite web |url =https://www.itnews.com.au/news/ibm-paid-very-substantial-compensation-for-census-failure-442563|title =IBM paid 'very substantial' compensation for Census failure|last = Cowan |first = Paris |date = 25 November 2016 |work = itnews.com.au |publisher =nextmedia Pty Ltd|accessdate =17 March 2021 }}

The census forms were able to be submitted online until 23 September. Once collection was complete, the ABS issued an announcement which confirmed that in spite of the initial online problems, there was a preliminary response rate of more than 96%. This consisted of 4.9 million (over 58%) online submissions and 3.5 million paper forms. The preliminary response rate was similar to the previous two census response rates of 95.8% in 2006 and 96.5% in 2011.{{cite web|title=Australia records more than 96 per cent preliminary response rate for the 2016 Census |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/CO-108?opendocument&navpos=620 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|publisher=Australian Government|date=11 October 2016|access-date=26 November 2016|language=en}}

An independent panel established by the Australian Statistician to quality assure the data from the 2016 census found it was fit for purpose, comparable to previous Australian and international censuses and can be used with confidence.{{Cite web|url=http://abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/2900.0main+features12016|title=Census quality – independent assurance|date=27 June 2017 |publisher=abs.gov.au|access-date=26 August 2017}}

{{blockquote|The Independent Assurance Panel I established to provide extra assurance and transparency of Census data quality concluded that the 2016 Census data can be used with confidence.|David Kalisch, Chief Statistician.}}

The Census form had 51 questions relating to the characteristics of individuals, plus an extra nine questions relating to households. Of the sixty questions, the following two questions were optional:{{cite web |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/2901.0Main%20Features802016/$FILE/2016%20Census%20Sample%20Household%20Form.pdf |title=2016 Census Household Form (sample) |work=Australian Bureau of Statistics |publisher=Australian Government |date=2016 }}

• What is the person's religion?
• Does each person agree to his/her name and address and other information on this form being kept by the National Archives of Australia and then made publicly available after 99 years?

The population counts for Australian states and territories were that New South Wales remains the most populous state, with 7,480,228 people counted, ahead of Victoria (5,926,624) and Queensland (4,703,193). Australian Capital Territory (ACT) experienced the largest population growth of any state or territory over the past five years, with an increase of 11.2% while Tasmania had the smallest growth at 3.0% since the last census in 2011.[http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/FlagPost/2017/June/Census_2016_-_Summary_of_results Census 2016] – Summary of result – Population by states and territories, 2011 and 2016 Census Persons count based on place of usual residence on Census night.

The inclusion of Norfolk Island in Other Territories was new for 2016, following an amendment to the Acts Interpretation Act, 1901.

In the 2016 Census, there were 1,748 people, compared with a population of 1,796 in 2011 (Norfolk Island Government Census). Of these 46.8% were male and 53.2% were female. The enumeration of Norfolk Island was an area of special attention for the ABS.

Of all residents over two-thirds (66.7% or 15,614,835) were born in Australia. Over a quarter of the population (26.3% or 6,163,667 persons) said they were born overseas, plus 1.6 million did not state any response. The proportion of overseas-born people from Asia has increased from 33% in 2011 to 40%, while Europe has declined from 40% in 2011 to 34% in 2016.

File:Australian Residents by Country of Birth 2016 Census.png

However, England (907,572 or 3.9% of Australia's population) remains the most common country of birth, followed by New Zealand (518,466 or 2.2%).[http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/2102_036 2016 Census QuickStats Country of Birth] – People in Australia who were born in England{{cite web|url=http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/2102_036|title=2016 Census QuickStats Country of Birth People in Australia who were born in England|website=abs.gov.au|accessdate=7 June 2022}} It was question 12 on the 2016 Census Household Paper Form.{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/lookup/Media%20Release3|title=2016 Census Country of Birth|website=abs.gov.au|accessdate=7 June 2022}}

{{Pie chart

|thumb = right

|float=right

|caption = Proportion of overseas-born population.{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/2071.0Main%20Features602016?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=2071.0&issue=2016&num=&view=|title=Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia Stories from the Census 2016|website=abs.gov.au|accessdate=7 June 2022}}

|label1 = England

|value1 = 14.7

|color1 = DarkBlue

|label2 = New Zealand

|value2 = 8.4

|color2 = Purple

|label3 = China

|value3 = 8.3

|color3 = Brown

|label4 = India

|value4 = 7.4

|color4 = Orange

|label5 = Philippines

|value5 = 3.8

|color5 = Lightblue

|label6 = Vietnam

|value6 = 3.6

|color6 = Yellow

|label7 = Italy

|value7 = 2.8

|color7 = Green

|label8 = South Africa

|value8 = 2.6

|color8 = Chartreuse

|label9 = Malaysia

|value9 = 2.2

|color9 = Black

|label10 = Scotland

|value10 = 1.9

|color10 = DodgerBlue

|label11 = Others

|value11 = 44.3

|color11 = honeydew

}}

The highest reported ancestries in Australia and for the external territory of Norfolk Island as a percentage of population.{{cite web |url=http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/036 |title=Census 2016: Summary of result – Population by states and territories, 2011 and 2016 Census |work=Australian Bureau of Statistics |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=2 October 2017 |archive-date=20 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620052901/http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/036 |url-status=dead }}

Results of the ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2016 are as follows.{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0~2016~Main%20Features~Cultural%20Diversity%20Data%20Summary~30|title=Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia, Ancestry 2016|website= Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Government|accessdate=16 May 2022}}

;Australian Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders

There were 649,171 Indigenous Australians, who made up 2.8% of Australia's population.

• 80.7% spoke only English at home.
• 19.3% spoke a language other than English at home. The most common of these were:
• Mandarin
• Italian
• Arabic
• Cantonese
• Greek
• Vietnamese
• 2% of the population could not speak English at all.

The number of homeless people in Australia jumped by more than 14,000 – or 14 per cent – in the five years to 2016, according to census data. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said 116,000 people were homeless on census night in 2016, representing 50 homeless people per 10,000.[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-14/homelessness-in-australia-jumps-14pc-over-five-year-period/9547786 Homelessness in Australia] abc.net.au

The majority of homeless people in Australia were male.[http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/2049.0 Australian Bureau of statistics] – abs.gov.au In addition, Indigenous Australians and recent migrants were over-represented among the homeless.

The 2016 census was the first to offer an option other than "male" or "female", however, this option was only available on a special version of the online form.[https://www.sbs.com.au/news/australian-census-to-offer-other-option-for-gender-question Australian Census to offer 'other' option for gender question] sbs.com.au[https://www.buzzfeed.com/lanesainty/sex-and-gender-in-the-census The Census Showed How Difficult It Is To Get Accurate Numbers On Sex And Gender] Buzzfeed News Some trans people criticised the difficulty in accessing this alternative form. The online nature of the census also prevented transmasculine people who checked the "male" box from answering questions about pregnancy and having children, as it would automatically skip those questions.

• 2016 in Australia
• 1911 Australian census
• Census in Australia

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Category:Censuses in Australia

Category:Australian Bureau of Statistics

Category:2016 in Australia

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