Homeless advocates and minority groups push for better Census coverage ahead of Census Night

In the week leading up to Census Night, Australian Bureau of Statistics staff have been stationed at homeless support sites in Coffs Harbour, such as Pete’s Place and the Uniting Church Soup Kitchen, to conduct face-to-face interviews on a short, two-page form. Anna Millett of St Vincent de Paul explained that many clients struggle with reading, mental health, substance use and domestic violence, making the Census a low priority.

Timothy Coles, who lives in a tent on the town’s outskirts, plans to submit his own response next week to highlight the hardships faced by Australians without stable housing. At the same time, Yazidi youth Bahin Al-Hassan and community advocate Sami Sheebo are urging the government to add a Yazidi tick box, noting the community’s growth from 63 to 4,123 since 2016. The Jewish community, represented by Peter Wertheim of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, also seeks more accurate representation, fearing under-counting and data-privacy concerns. ABS spokesperson Emily Walter said the bureau has developed a strategy to target known rough-sleeping locations and work closely with service providers during Census week.