Whitlam MP and Shadow Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones has called on Illawarra residents to fill in the Census this Tuesday, August 10.
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"It's really important we get accurate information so people like me can go to the government and say we need more services, we need more housing," he said.
"The Census is the most reliable, respected and used data collection exercise in the country. It's absolutely critical that we fill it in."
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The Australian Bureau of Statistics has reminded new parents to include their youngest arrival in the the Census.
Data from the 2016 Census showed 1 in 20 children aged 0-4 were not included on Census forms that year.
Averil Templar, Census Executive at the ABS said organisations like Playgroup NSW use Census data to help plan where a playgroup would be beneficial to local families.
Those who are homeless or in unstable accommodation have also been urged to have their voice counted.
Five years ago, the 2016 Census showed 116,427 people across the country were without a safe, secure place to sleep at night.
Mission Australia CEO, James Toomey said most people and families experiencing homelessness are hidden from plain sight.
"In response to the 'Where does the person usually live?' question, anyone who is without a safe, secure home on Census night should record their suburb as 'NONE', " he said.
This applies to people who are sleeping rough, as well as people who are couch surfing or if they are away from home due to eviction or a family dispute.
If a housing or homelessness service has provided a person or family with temporary accommodation, they are encouraged to write 'NONE - CRISIS' under 'Suburb/Locality'.
Looking ahead, equality advocates want a commitment to counting LGBTIQA+ Australians in the 2026 Census.
National advocacy group Just.Equal Australia has partnered with a number of LGBTIQA+ and allied organisations in a declaration that outlines the problems with not counting LGBTIQA+ people.
Just.Equal Australia spokesperson, Dr Charlie Burton, said not being counted in the Census sent the message the LGBTQIA+ people "didn't matter".
"When LGBTIQA+ people aren't counted in the Census it is much harder to develop policies and plan services that meet our needs," he said.
Mr Jones said he agreed with the call, and that LGBTQIA+ people "should have been counted in this Census".
"The Census should be a snapshot of what our community looks like, not what we think it looks like," he said.
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