Response 235819514

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Contact details

Select the category that best describes you or the organisation you represent:

Organisation categories
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Radio button: Ticked Individual
Radio button: Unticked Academia/educational institution
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Has this submission been prepared in collaboration with any other individual(s) or organisation(s)?

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Radio button: Unticked Yes (provide details below)
Radio button: Ticked No (select the Continue button at the bottom of the page)

Potential changes - Religious affiliation

Do you currently use Religious affiliation data from the Census? (Select one)

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Radio button: Ticked Yes
Radio button: Unticked No

To what extent does this data currently meet your needs? (Select one)

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Radio button: Unticked Fully
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Radio button: Unticked Not at all
Radio button: Unticked Do not have a need for the data
Please provide a detailed explanation why the data does or does not meet your needs.
due to the biased nature of how the religious affiliation question is currently stated, the Census continues to overstate Australians’ relationship with religion, leading to government institutions and society continuing to privilege religion.
Revising the wording of the question, especially with the inclusion of a filter question, would provide governments and policy-makers with a much more meaningful measure of Australians’ relationship with religion.

Describe the expected impact for you or your organisation if the Census collected Religious affiliation through a two-part question.

Please consider both the positives and negatives, if applicable, when responding to this question.
a two-parts question would ensure data collected is accurate and reflect current best practice in questionnaire design.

Do you have any further information on the Religious affiliation topic to inform our assessment?

Text box provided for further information on Religion
The ABS has a duty to ensure the data it collects is accurate and the proposed change to a two-part question (at a minimum), which is supported by the research community, will help meet that responsibility.