Census - Religion: "Rugby League"

[Paullyboy]

It wasn't meant to be funny, if I was trying to come up with something witty and I would have actually thought about it - I did that as my personal protest about the ridiculousness of the questions they expect you to answer.

Dont get me wrong, certain parts of the census are important such as number of people in your household etc., but they have no right to know what salary Im on, the address of where I work or what my main duties are.

 

[Timmah]

You didn't fill out your own details...?

Dad filled it all out, he just asked me all the necessary questions, I watched him write them in online.

 

[Raider_69]

There is no such thing as a true atheist.

why is that? because the church said so?

im an atheist, so stick that up the virgin mary

 

[Timmah]

It wasn't meant to be funny, if I was trying to come up with something witty and I would have actually thought about it - I did that as my personal protest about the ridiculousness of the questions they expect you to answer.

Dont get me wrong, certain parts of the census are important such as number of people in your household etc., but they have no right to know what salary Im on, the address of where I work or what my main duties are.

Mate, they're spending millions here, trying to find out the profile of the average Australian and how people live. It's all to help our future and our childrens. I can understand a couple of joking things like "jedi knight" as religion etc, but making 50%+ of the form a 'joke' is just stupid.

 

[Dr Crane]

Jedi Knight should be under occupation, Jedi is the religion.

 

[Paullyboy]

Mate, they're spending millions here, trying to find out the profile of the average Australian and how people live. It's all to help our future and our childrens. I can understand a couple of joking things like "jedi knight" as religion etc, but making 50%+ of the form a 'joke' is just stupid.

Just because they are spending millions on it you expect people to tell them the answers to any question they ask us?

As I said, there is definately merit to a census, but you get to a point where you dont want every single detail of your life stored on someones computer - you never know what negative repercussions could come of it down the track.

 

[Timmah]

Your information is confidential for 99 years if you choose it to be. I don't understand what the issue would be.

 

[cumberlandsashes81]

It's technically compulsory to not only fill the census out but also do it truthfully...

In fact, the Australian Bureau of Statistics can actually prosecute and fine you under the Census and Statistics Act 1905 for not filling the census out ($110/day you fail to do so after being directed to fill it out) and/or for providing false or misleading statements (up to $1,000 fine).

They actually prosecuted about 50 people after the last census, 48 people after the 1996 census and almost 200 after the 1991 census for these offences.

I would have thought there were more serious criminals out there...

 

[skeepe]

Nevertheless cumberland, it is still important that people take it seriously. The simple fact that people can be fined for providing false statements proves this. As the advertisements say, it really is vitally important information for the future running of the country.

Those who don't take it seriously are fools. Absolute fools.

 

[Phillips]

Your information is confidential for 99 years if you choose it to be. I don't understand what the issue would be.

how do you know that..

whats to stop someone viewing it

 

[Paullyboy]

Exactly. I have access to confidential information in my job. I chose not to look at it unless absolutely necessary, but still confidential definately doesnt mean 'never to be seen by anyone for another 99 years'.

And how does them knowing the street address of my workplace or how much money I made from different sources affect the future of the country?

 

[cumberlandsashes81]

Nevertheless cumberland, it is still important that people take it seriously. The simple fact that people can be fined for providing false statements proves this. As the advertisements say, it really is vitally important information for the future running of the country.

I absolutely view the census with the appropriate level of seriousness (I did mine online) - I didn't suggest otherwise.

This is why I thought it was important that everyone understand it is actually possible for the ABS to fine people for not taking part in the census or for providing false information (something which was sorely lacking from the advertisements about the census, I might add).

The last sentence of my post was to ensure that people didn't think I was being some kind of authoritarian smarty-pants who was recommending swift and summary execution of those who had put down "Rugby League" as their religion...!

I can see why the ABS have the right to use to a 'stick' to people who don't do it properly - but it is so inconsistently used, and so poorly advertised, it makes me wonder if it operates as a motivator at all... Anyway, that's a debate for another (census) day.

 

[SOULS 04]

i did mine as fast as a possibly could... some of the religeons read above are funny as

athiesm is self defeating.

 

[Kurt Angle]

Th reason they ask things like your earnings is so they can establish what sort of funding needs to go into which areas and what type of taxation measures they need to apply.

If every said they earned $1 million a years, the government could say lets put everyone's taxes up and no need to pay for child care centres/public hospitals/etc, because everyone can afford it themselves...

F*cking idiot.

 

[Timmah]

Exactly. I have access to confidential information in my job. I chose not to look at it unless absolutely necessary, but still confidential definately doesnt mean 'never to be seen by anyone for another 99 years'.

And how does them knowing the street address of my workplace or how much money I made from different sources affect the future of the country?

Maybe they should have made a special checkbox for you Paully...
. _
|_| Please check this box if you are above the system.

 

[[furrycat]]

Paully what are they going to do with the work address, send you telemarketers?

Wake up to yourself. You are just being stubborn.

Great pioneer for the future you are.

 

[Raider_69]

athiesm is self defeating.

why?

 

[t-ba]

I put mine as Zoroastrian...This nation needs more Fire Temples and More Towers of Silence!

 

[SOULS 04]

i did mine as fast as a possibly could... some of the religeons read above are funny as

athiesm is self defeating.

it has to do with a moral law

ask me later ill explain

 

[Pierced Soul]

Th reason they ask things like your earnings is so they can establish what sort of funding needs to go into which areas and what type of taxation measures they need to apply.

yeah cos they've done well in helping low income areas in the western suburbs :roll:

I see heaps of funding going towards 'lower class' places. ](*,)

the census is a crock. I took it as seriously as pauly and left questions blank or wrote stupid things.

and it's obviously not that confidential if they can fine you for not writing what they want to hear ](*,)