Tonight, millions of households across Australia will complete the Census, a snapshot taken every five years of who we are, where we live, and how our cities and regions are changing.
For our team, it’s about collecting data to understand how Australians are adapting to changing economic and social conditions. It provides an evidence base on population change, how people move through cities and regions, and where they choose to live and work. Our advice draws on this evidence, along with other data sets, to shape housing strategies, economic development approaches and infrastructure investment cases. While it’s a current-day snapshot, this Census builds on previous Census results to provide long-run trends that help plan for what’s next.
The Census also plays a central role in the SGS Cities and Regions Wellbeing Index, which takes a Census-cycle approach to understanding how the factors that contribute to wellbeing change over time. By aligning with the national Census, the Index provides a consistent long-term view of social, economic and environmental outcomes across Australia, helping us understand not just how populations are changing, but whether wellbeing is improving and who is at risk of being left behind.
To mark the occasion, we asked our team what they are most interested in learning from this year’s Census.
Understanding population shifts and housing pressure
For Alison Holloway, Principal and Partner, this Census will provide valuable evidence about how Australians are responding to ongoing housing affordability pressures.
She is particularly interested in whether home ownership rates among essential workers continue to decline, especially in inner cities. For workers whose jobs require them to be physically present, including teachers and nurses, housing affordability can limit their ability to purchase a home near their workplaces in higher-cost inner city areas.
One trend she expects to see is Australians making increasingly pragmatic housing decisions as rising costs reshape household choices. We may see household occupancy rates increase, as more people stay in share houses or the family home for longer. We may also see more families choosing apartment living, trading off private space for proximity to jobs, education, health, and other recreation and leisure offerings, and for walking, riding, or short public transport trips to public open space and community life.
Better profiling Australia’s diversity
For Liz Webster, Senior Associate, one of the most significant aspects of this Census is the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Australia’s diversity.
As a social planner, Census data underpins almost everything she does. She is especially interested in the new questions on gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as the expansion of the ancestry question from two to four response options.
Together, these changes should provide a richer picture of who lives in our cities and regions, including communities that have historically been less visible in national datasets. Being counted matters, because better visibility helps planners, policymakers and service providers design for people’s needs.
Changes to work locations and commuting
Kishan Ratnam, Senior Associate and Partner, and Rowena Phua, Associate, are both interested in what the Census will reveal about where people now choose to live and work, and how that's affecting commuting patterns.
They expect the data will reveal markedly different commuting patterns from those seen before the pandemic. As flexible working became more established, commuting distance became less of a constraint, giving some people greater freedom to choose where they live.
The Census may also reveal changing travel behaviours within that shift, showing how growing use of e-bikes and other micromobility options, along with investment in safe cycling infrastructure, is influencing the way people commute, especially in inner cities or regional locations with fewer public transport options.
