Chris Bowen (Prospect, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would be less than frank with the House if I did not say that I found the parliamentary secretary’s response a little disappointing. I recognise that these surveys have been going on for a very long time, and I recognise that they have happened under governments of both persuasions. It is very different from the census. With the census, there is a general level of public understanding and public acceptance that it is an important activity to participate in. There is a general understanding that it is an obligation of citizenship to participate in it. But I do not think it is appropriate for people in my electorate or any other to have somebody knocking on the door and saying, ‘You will account for every five minutes of your day and if you don’t, you will be fined.’

I do not expect the parliamentary secretary to automatically be across these issues, but I wonder if he would be good enough to undertake to investigate and report back as to whether the government does feel this particular survey, amongst others, is appropriate and whether there might be some action taken to remind the ABS that getting people to account for every five minutes of their day for 48 hours is not something which happens in a democracy like Australia.

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