On Tuesday 11 August, everyone in Australia will fill out the Census. It’s important data to keep the country running smoothly. So who’s behind the scenes and what do their careers look like?
In 2021, health scientists in Canberra noticed something weird. Vaccination rates hit 100%, meaning every single adult in the ACT should be vaccinated. But the rate kept climbing.
This mystery was soon solved by the Census. Every five years, the Australian Government counts the number of people living in Australia. The 2021 Census revealed that Canberra had a lot more people than everyone thought. And when those health scientists in Canberra redid their calculations, it solved their vaccine mystery.
Why have a census?
Censuses have been around for thousands of years. According to the Bible, Jesus was born during a Census!
They’re used by governments to plan where to build schools and roads, and how much help to send after disasters. Plus, the information is given away for free to anyone, from companies to scientists, and everyday people too.
So when your household fills out the Census on 12 August, you are making sure you’re counted!
4 jobs that rely on Census data
Health researcher: Helen Ramsay predicts how diseases will spread. To do this well, it’s really important to know the populations of different suburbs and towns.
Operations manager: Jessica Pritchard looks after the roads throughout NSW. Knowing where people live helps predict traffic, and it’s really important when guiding trucks to and from disasters.
Geospatial specialist: Angus Yallop works at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which runs the Census. He takes the information from the Census and makes it even more useful for governments and charities.
Community creator: Mellini Sloan plans new cities for Australia. She needs to learn about the communities that already live where these new cities could be built.
