Being Counted Counts – Community Voice Report
Over the past 18 months, an informal yet impactful partnership between the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Robinvale Euston Workforce Network (REWN), local government, and the broader community has operated. This collaboration has fostered openness, trust, and a willingness to work together towards the shared goal of achieving a more accurate Census of Population and Housing (Census) count in 2026 for the Robinvale, Euston, and surrounding areas – communities long affected by significant population undercounts.
One initiative of this collaboration was the commissioning of research to carefully hear the breadth of community voice in identifying the barriers and enablers to Census participation. Drawing on extensive community engagement the process sought to amplify underrepresented voices, share reliable Census information what the Census is and why it is important, and lay the groundwork for a locally tailored Census engagement strategy.