SENATOR DEAN SMITH
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY
SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA
MEDIA RELEASE
6 September 2024
COALITION TO PURSUE LABOR IN THE SENATE OVER CENSUS CHAOS
The Albanese Government’s chaotic mismanagement regarding questions in the upcoming Census, and the internal divisions it is exposing, risk undermining public confidence in the entire Census process.
Labor’s unpredictability is also generating needless anxiety for many Australians.
Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Senator Dean Smith intends next week to call on the Government to release all correspondence and other documents between the Australian Bureau of Statistics, responsible Minister Andrew Leigh, the Treasurer and the Prime Minister in relation to Census preparations.
In the meantime, Senator Smith has written to ABS Chief Statistician Dr Gruen requesting a briefing from officials that is yet to be confirmed.
Major questions remain unanswered, including:
- What is the status of the testing of new and changed questions on religious affiliation?
- What is the status of other new questions that were being considered, among them Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity and a question regarding Australians relocating over 12 months – which is important in the context of housing supply?
- When will details of questions regarding gender, sexual orientation and variations of sex characteristics be released?
- Is Labor considering reversing the ABS decision in the phase one consultation process not to progress with questions on ethnic identity, additional measure of disability, shared care of children, dwelling occupancy status, household energy use and the impact of impact of natural disasters?
Recent events also raise serious concerns about the appropriateness of the Prime Minister, or anybody in the Albanese Government, intervening in the work of an independent statutory authority.
Andrew Leigh has failed to provide an explanation for what is occurring and there has been no official correspondence, or even a media statement, justifying Labor’s actions.
The Coalition will now use the full powers of the Senate to hold the Government to account over its bungling of this major aspect of Australian life.
Quotes attributable to Senator Dean Smith, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury:
“Labor’s confused and nontransparent approach to the 2026 Census has turned up more questions than answers.”
“Prime Minister Albanese and his Government have jeopardised public confidence in the Census process and left Australians in the dark about how important questions will be handled.”
“Labor’s mismanagement has also shown a lack of sensitivity to those awaiting the status of questions relevant to them – among them Indigenous Australians, members of the LGBTQI community and grandparent carers.”
“Any Labor intervention in the work of an independent statutory authority is unacceptable and the Coalition will pursue it in the Senate until it takes its obligations seriously.”
ENDS