How to avoid a fine of $222 per day after Census night?

Regardless of visa status, every person present in an Australian household is meant to be counted on Census night. But what happens if someone was not available at your address on the night of 10 August?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had advised everyone present in the country to participate in the Census on 10 August.

But what if you missed doing it on that date?

The census is mandatory for everyone staying in Australia on census night including visitors, temporary residents, and international students
If you have not submitted your Census form by 12 August, the ABS will contact you by letter or in person
Census field officers will assist those unable to complete the form due to a valid reason and will even provide help with filling the form if needed
If you fail to participate in the census without a valid reason then you can be fined

Failing to complete census data can cost you $222 per day

If you fail to participate in the Census,

you can be fined $222

per day till you lodge your online or paper form.

ABS spokesperson and Census Executive Director, Andrew Henderson, issued a media release a day after Census night (10 August) to thank those Australians who had completed the Census, while reminding others that it’s not too late to participate.

“We want to make sure everyone is included. There is a range of help and support options available for people who need assistance to complete their Census form including online and phone help,” Mr Henderson stated.

If you have not submitted your Census form by 12 August, the ABS will contact you by letter or in person.

Census 2021 Field Officer Afroz Ahmed told SBS Urdu that officers like him are available to assist those unable to complete the process due to a valid reason and will even provide help with filling the paper forms if needed.

“Census field officers will help you in a COVIDSafe environment if someone makes an inadvertent mistake”, he added.

Professor Farhat Yusuf is an Emeritus Professor of Demography at Sydney’s Macquarie Business School.

He told SBS Urdu that the ABS website explains the Census processes in detail and everyone, including visitors, temporary residents and students, needs to be counted.

The web page states that if no one is at home at the time of filling the form, then report “not at home or unoccupied address” online.

Census 2016 field officer Saher Fatma told SBS Urdu that Census 2021 is more focused on online submission.

The ABS has warned that if someone lies deliberately, makes a false claim or gives an unexplained answer, that person could be fined after investigation.

Census 2021 is not very different from Census 2016. Source: AAP

Professor Farhat says that planning for the Census 2021 was not affected by COVID-19 as most of the work was completed much before the onset of the pandemic.

“In general, Census 2021 is not very different from earlier censuses. One new question pertains to long-term morbidity conditions”, he added.

Professor Farhat Yusuf - Emeritus Professor, Macquarie Business School & Sydney University (Demography, PhD, Australian National University) Source: The University of Sydney

Professor Farhat also said that while researchers, academics, and others analyse the Census data and comment on their accuracy or credibility when necessary, unlike some other countries, Australian censuses have not been politicised.

He adds that those who are not tech-savvy, like the elderly and those from non-English speaking backgrounds, may feel challenged by the online process.

But Mr Farhat advises seeking help from ABS that is widely available for the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

How to avoid a fine of $222 per day after Census night?

Regardless of visa status, every person present in an Australian household is meant to be counted on Census night. But what happens if someone was not available at your address on the night of 10 August?

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