Personnel
Census is vital

Edition 1164, April 19, 2007
 
Happy family: LCpl John Gutmanis is swamped by his wife, Kerryn, and children on his return from Iraq last November. Questions in the coming Defence Census will cover areas such as families, accommodation and special needs.
Photo by WO2 Graham McBean
THE Defence Census is one of the most important means of gathering information that will help the military introduce new policies that make a difference to its people.

The Census will be conducted for the fifth time on May 16.

The Defence Census is primarily a means of gathering data that describes members’ situations, rather than a survey that assesses opinions, such as the Defence Attitude Survey, according to Assistant Manager Defence Census Cmdr Warren Johnston.

Questions seek demographic data, as well as information on pay, accommodation, families and special needs.

“By conducting the Defence Census at four-yearly intervals, Defence has established a valuable data base that is widely used in housing, pay and allowances. It also gives us data that is credible with other Government departments,” Cmdr Johnston said.

Although for comparison purposes most of the questions asked in the Census are the same, for each Census less useful questions are deleted and new questions introduced. This year full-time ADF members will be asked questions that will assess the impact of the introduction of Married With Dependants (Unaccompanied) provisions in 2006.

Cmdr Johnston said the Defence Census asked more questions than the national Census because Service people were subject to special conditions, such as postings and removals, that affected their families.

“Questions are vetted carefully to ensure that the information will be used: if the information is simply nice to know it won’t be included,” he said.

“Since October 2006 we have been working with the Defence Census Manager, the other Services and Defence groups, to prepare for the Census. The task is simple: to ensure all our people are provided with the correct questionnaire … so they get a chance to put their circumstances in front of the Defence personnel planners.”

CA encourages all people to complete the Census. ARA members will receive and return the purple questionnaire from unit census coordinators through the chain of command. Reservists serving on CFTS will also receive their blue forms through the command chain. Active reservists will get their blue forms by mail to their home address.

Cmdr Johnston said that respondents’ anonymity and confidentiality would be assured.

Roy Morgan Research will distribute, collect and analyse the Census data. The forms will be destroyed after the analysis, and Defence will not be able to identify anyone from the data.

Find out more about the Census at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/dpe/defencecensus2007/ or http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/defencecensus2007. If you have a question, email Defence.Census2007@defence.gov.au.