The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
ABC RADIO PERTH, DRIVE WITH OLIVER PETERSON
TUESDAY, 11 AUGUST 2026
SUBJECTS: 2026 Census
OLIVER PETERSON: Don't forget the actual Census is also due tonight. The survey is obviously an important opportunity for the government to know what it needs to know about all of us. And to tell us more, I'm joined by federal MP Andrew Leigh, the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury. Dr Leigh, welcome back to Drive.
ANDREW LEIGH: Thanks Oliver, great to be with you.
OLIVER PETERSON: Just remind us about how we can do that Census if we haven't done it already?
ANDREW LEIGH: So, you should have received a form in the mail which will have a code on it. You go to census.abs.gov.au, and you can fill in your Census online. That's how the ABS expects 85 per cent of Australians to fill in the Census. If you need a paper form, then there's information on that website about how to order a paper form, and there's also large print and braille forms that are available.
This is one of the biggest peacetime logistics operations that the Australian Government does. So, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has been engaging extensively with prisons, with aged care homes, hotels and motels, with the homeless population in order to make sure that we get the most accurate count of the country tonight. That means we're able to better target government services, organise the fair distribution of GST, figure out where to put a new health centre, or help businesses or non-profits work out how to allocate their resources.
OLIVER PETERSON: So it's about allocating those resources, is it, Dr Leigh? That's what the data specifically does and is collected to really help the government do its job?
ANDREW LEIGH: The government – and business and non-profit communities as well. Sometimes it's about communities wanting to know their own story. So really, in filling out the Census, you're not only helping your own household, you're also helping your neighbours. If a council is figuring out where to put a local bus route, then they'll often rely on the Census. And if we need a population count, well, the Census is perfect for that in a way that a sample survey just isn't.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics runs a range of surveys from time to time. But for knowing about localised population data, nothing beats a Census.
OLIVER PETERSON: Is it truly anonymous to allay concerns from those worried about their privacy?
ANDREW LEIGH: Absolutely. The ABS uses the highest encryption technology and maintains strict privacy protections. Your information is protected by the Privacy Act and by the independence of the Australian Bureau of Statistics from government. Government sets the topic, but the ABS chooses the wording of the questions and carries out the Census itself at arm's length from governments. And they've been engaging, of course, with our cybersecurity agencies to make sure that we don't have a repeat of the problems that occurred in 2016 and that we're protected as best we can be against the risk of hackers.
OLIVER PETERSON: ‘How do we do the Census…’, asked David, ‘…if our letter with instructions got destroyed in the rain?’ What should he go and do?
ANDREW LEIGH: Just reach back out to the ABS. They've got a hotline there: 1800 181 227, and that can answer any questions of that kind. It's very normal, as you would imagine, for people to require a new form to be sent out. The ABS has been doing thousands of those and would be happy to do that, David.
OLIVER PETERSON: Alright David, hope that helps you. And before I let you go Andrew, we've been conducting our own Perth Drive census this afternoon. I won't give you all five questions, but I'll give you one. What is to you, the best thing about Perth when you come over here to visit? What do you love about Perth, Dr Leigh?
ANDREW LEIGH: So I really love being able to run around the Swan. So, I tend to stay somewhere in the city and then I will do that lovely loop around that takes you over the bridge. If I'm feeling particularly energetic, I'll get up to the Casino and loop back around. I'm an ultramarathon runner, and there is very few places in the world I would rather train for a flat ultramarathon than running around the Swan.
OLIVER PETERSON: Oh gee, that sounds good. We need to get you back over sooner rather than later!
ANDREW LEIGH: I'll be back over there a couple of times soon. I'm joining some colleagues in August, and then I'm giving the Economic Society of Australia WA branch’s Shann Lecture on 22 September. So, looking forward very much to being over and talking economics as part of the Shann Lecture.
OLIVER PETERSON: Alright. Final one before you go. John in Southern Cross just says, just ‘Can you help out with people with dementia or Alzheimer's also fill out their Census form?’ Have you got any advice there, Dr Leigh, for John?
ANDREW LEIGH: Absolutely. Just again, reach out to the Census helpline. In many cases it'll be a family member that will assist there, but if it's necessary for someone else to step in and assist, then the ABS can assist with that. Census.gov au or 1800 181 227.
OLIVER PETERSON: We'll see you over here soon. Thank you very much.
ANDREW LEIGH: Looking forward to it. Thanks very much.
OLIVER PETERSON: That's Andrew Leigh joining us live on Drive this afternoon. He's the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, and we're conducting the Perth Drive census this Tuesday afternoon.
ENDS