A couple of days ago my friend asked me to help them fill in the census as her command of English is not of a level that allows her to answer the questions. Her family had recently migrated to Australia from Israel as her husband is an Australian citizen by decent/ she was born here/ arrived here on family reunification/ arrived many years ago and has not been able to grasp the language. I told her that there are very personal details which I don’t feel comfortable she reveal to me and she contact the number of the census form, and ask for an interpreter to help her, She told me she did and was told there are no interpreters for Hebrew and that she should ask one of her friends to help her. I actually rang myself and was told that if I want a Hebrew interpreter I would have to pay for the services. I think this is outrageous, filling in the census is everyone's civil duty, the recording on the phone number I was given to call 1300340120 has a recording of 10 languages, it then says that if your language is not included you should wait and be transferred to an operator, I was transferred and I asked for a Hebrew interpreter and was told there are none and confirmed what my told had told me that I would have to pay for one if I wanted the service.
When a tax funded organisation such as the ABS undertakes such a huge task of surveying the entire Australian population it is required to be inclusive of all tax payers. The ABS is required to be inclusive of its entire target market i.e. the entire Australian population no matter how small. All sectors should be allowed to participate otherwise the whole exercise is futile and flawed, for the census serves the government and planning authorities with the information to provide better service to the entire Australian population, it cannot rely on this data if it flawed, even we are talking about 2 people who cannot take part, it is flawed. Please sign this petition which will be sent to the prime minister