The 2021 Census tally is now underway, with an estimated 6,229,629 forms completed as of Wednesday 11 August at 8:00am, which equates to 16 million Australians.
The tally is based on forms submitted online through the Census Digital Service 6,102,992 and paper forms 126,637 mailed to the ABS by households.
Peak users hit at 8.06pm last night, with 140.8 submissions per second. The ABS reported no interruptions to the service on Census night, no excessive wait times, no security breaches, and a seamless experience for users.
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar thanked the over 6.2 million Australian households who have submitted their Census forms.
"I want to thank the millions of Australians who have played their part in making the 2021 Census a success so far, and we want to continue to see the numbers ticking up and the forms coming in," Minister Sukkar said.
"It is also important to remind Australians that it is not too late to submit your Census form. The Australian Bureau of Statistics continues to collect Census forms. Please visit the Census website or contact by phone if you need any further information on how to complete your Census.
"I also want to thank the work of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Digital Transformation Agency and all the government agencies and their employees involved in making the 2021 Census a seamless process.
"Conducting a census involves a huge logistical effort. The 2021 Census required 38,000 temporary jobs across Australia, including 20,000 Field Officers in local areas, and 15 million letters mailed over a five-week period in August and September.
"The Census will help us tell Australia's story. We continue to encourage those who haven't completed their Census to do so, play their part and be counted."
The Census form tally below includes household online and paper forms received by the ABS as of Wednesday 11 August. The rate at which forms are received will differ across states and territories due to the different levels of paper forms provided across Australia and different delivery timeframes.
| State/Territory | Household forms submitted (online & paper) |
|---|---|
| NSW | 1,974,428 |
| Victoria | 1,671,818 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 135,343 |
| South Australia | 417,125 |
| Western Australia | 636,555 |
| Northern Territory | 41,032 |
| Queensland | 1,210,061 |
| Tasmania | 117,278 |
* The tally for Australia is greater than the sum of all states and territories due to forms that are yet to be categorised to a particular state or territory.
The ABS will now follow up and tally mostly paper forms, which will be progressively received over coming weeks. Many remote communities and those with limited internet access fill out paper Census forms, which will represent about 25% of households.
