Government census is compulsory?

[Fred]

This isn?t meant to come across as an anti-government tirade. It?s a serious issue though.

Today we received a government census form which is compulsory(!) to fill in. The info it requires include name, address, what work a person does, income, education level, marital status, ethnicity/racial background, computer use, how a person travelled to work on the day of the census and many other questions.

All these we are legally compelled to answer. Even if a person is not at home on census night they still have to provide the info wherever they are. The only non-compulsory question concerns which religion.

Without dramatics, the penalty is a fine which if not payed would presumably lead to jail.

The issue I?d like to raise is -- does a government have the right to demand (demand, not request) this information?

I think it is wrong but almost all Australians will (grudgingly or happily or indifferently) comply, so i'm wondering what other people think.

The data would, no doubt, be useful for many things eg planning. And some government departments would have some of this info anyway. However, surely there are many things which would 'help' a government but which are wrong to enforce.

Perhaps a census should be voluntary and/or anonymous? Blind sample surveys could cover much of the demographic data.

Are census' in the US, Canada, England, NZ and other countries compulsory? Do they ask the same kinds of questions?

 

[prospector]

the census is compulsory in Canada.

however, the questions only pertain to population.

mt in-laws were census takers this very year. let me see if i can get a digital version of the census.

but my personal opinion is that the Australian gov't has definately crossed the line with those questions.

 

[BahamaMama]

Fred, that is truly mild compared to the *long form* of the US Census. If you're lucky enough to only be required the short form, it isn't too bad, but HONEST, when i had a census taker come to my door last summer (they didn't get the *short form* in the mail in time, as i was out of the state alot last year) .....i was required to answer the long form questions instead, and i stood there with that man at the back door for OVER THREE HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and i told him flat out that i didn't know the correct answers for 3 of the occupants of the house at the time of the census (april 1, i believe) ...... one of the people wasn't even living here any more, but was on census date. I will try and think of some of the really wild questions to post them for you later, but my memory on things i'd rather forget isn't that long.....LOL ....right off hand, i know the wanted to know how many miles were driven to work *one way* each day, and method of transportation to get there....i'll keep thinking on others, but the ones you listed were without a doubt on the long form questionaire.