Review of 2021 Census Topics - Australian Bureau of Statistics

Response 963752725

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As a motorcycle rider of nearly 45 years experience I have been extremely disappointed that information that could be very useful in informing decisions about motorcycle safety, usage, facilities, infrastructure and representation has been excluded from previous census data. Motorcycle riders are a significant group of road users and deserve a voice in decisions made by government and other bodies that directly or indirectly affect them. In the absence of any data, how can informed decisions be made?

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Population

Sex and gender

Households and families

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Income and work

Unpaid work and care

Education and training

Disability and carers

Housing

Location

Transport

Cultural diversity

Religion

Topics on Transport

Choose one or more of the following topics that relates to your submission

Please select all that apply

Mode of travel to work

Name and address of workplace attended

Number of motor vehicles

Other/unknown

If other please specify

Frequency of use

Assessment Criteria 1

1. This topic is of current national importance.

Data relating to motorcycle ownership and usage is important in providing accurate information when legislation is being drafted or reviewed. It is also vital information to support road safety policy development, planning of roads, parking and related infrastructure and in determining priorities in policy implementation.

Assessment Criteria 2

2. There is a need for data from a Census of the whole population.

Motorcycle owners and riders represent a small, but significant, group within the total population as well as those classified as road users. Under the present system if data collection, nothing is known about this group, including accurate numbers, their geographical and social distribution or their specific needs. When data about motorcycle ownership and usage is combined with other data about car users, especially when considering use to travel to and from work, a more complete picture can be developed and more realistic, balanced policies developed in response to this data set.

Assessment Criteria 3

3. The topic can be accurately collected in a form which the household completes themselves.

This is obviously a very simple and easy thing to collect. In the exact same way information is collected about how many cars are garaged at the census residence, the same can be applied to questions about motorcycle ownership, usage and frequency of use..

Do you own a motorcycle? Is a very simple easy to understand question. Do you use this vehicle as transport to and from work? Is also easy. How many motorcycles do you own and/or garage at your home or place of residence? Couldn't be simpler. How many times per week/month on average do you use a motorcycle for any purpose?

Assessment Criteria 4

4. The topic would be acceptable to Census respondents.

Seriously! How could information about motorcycle ownership and usage be considered in any way offensive, intrusive or controversial? You can be certain that this previously disenfranchised group ( through having this data excluded) will be more than willing to supply the data, especially if they know it will be used to develop sensible government policy, legislation and infrastructure .

Assessment Criteria 5

5. The topic can be collected efficiently.

It goes without saying that if you can efficiently collect information on other motor vehicles then motorcycle are equally simple and easy to code, classify and process.

Assessment Criteria 6

6. There is likely to be a continuing need for data on this topic in the following Census.

Data relating to motorcycle ownership and usage patterns is most definitely needed on a continuing basis, just as data on motorcars is collected on an ongoing basis. Comparisons of data over time will reveal changing trends, increasing or decreasing needs and the balance between two and four wheeled ownership. As long as we have motor vehicles on roads this information will be relevant well into the future and in fact could help predict future trends and inform advanced planning.

Assessment Criteria 7

7. There are no other alternative data sources or solutions that could meet the topic need.

If you don't ask questions about motorcycle ownership and usage in the census where else can this data be gathered and used? Vehicle sales figures may inform part of this but will not cover older vehicles and will certainly not provide information about how the vehicle is used and the frequency or purpose of this usage.