Review of 2021 Census Topics

Response 399349231

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What is your submission about?

Please provide a brief summary of your submission

Topic name
Council considers that there is;
A need to reconsider the current questions asked in the Census on disability
We note that the current Census asks people whether they need someone to help with or be with them for ‘core’ activities (self-care, body movement, communication) and it asks for reasons for this need for assistance or supervision.
Council’s concern is that not all disability is experienced as a need for help or supervision. There are people who do not need help or supervision but who nonetheless experience barriers in engaging with the social and physical environment. As a local infrastructure and service provider with a significant stake in the development of inclusive, accessible environments, Council considers that the Census does not gather sufficient information to support this work.
Our view is that a question that asks directly about a person’s experience of disability is needed.
The current questions on self-care, body movement and communication could be reconstructed to ask a person about their experience with barriers to activity, consistent with the social model of disability.

Choose your area of interest

Please select one item
(Required)
Population
Sex and gender
Households and families
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Income and work
Unpaid work and care
Education and training
Ticked Disability and carers
Housing
Location
Transport
Cultural diversity
Religion
Other topic

Assessment Criteria 1

1. This topic is of current national importance.

National Importance
Council considers disability and caring are topics of significant national importance.

Assessment Criteria 2

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

For whole population
Council considers that exploring disability through the whole of population census is critical for its capacity to provide small population/geographic area information. Council depends on the Census to provide us with the only local specific information we have on the prevalence of disability and care in our community. We utilise the data to meet our commitment to produce a Disability Action Plan and to conduct disability planning work. However the currently available indicator (assistance with core activities) does not provide a complete picture of disability in the community and does not provide us with sufficient information about environmental barriers experienced by people with disability that we would find most useful for planning.

Assessment Criteria 3

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

Easy to answer
No undue difficulties are anticipated

Assessment Criteria 4

4. The topic would be acceptable to Census respondents.

Acceptable
No acceptability concerns are anticipated

Assessment Criteria 5

5. The topic can be collected efficiently.

Collected efficiently
Council considers that information could be collected efficiently

Assessment Criteria 6

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

Continuing need
We suggest that information on environmental accessibility and the experience of disability are critical currently and will continue to be critical in the future

Assessment Criteria 7

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

No alternatives
Council draws on information released by the ABS’ survey of disability and carers, but completes the survey with the critical local information provided by the Census