Is your 2026 Census data private? What the ABS can and cannot share

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conducts the Census of Population and Housing every five years to gather personal information from Australians. This data is vital for creating accurate and efficient statistics, and ensuring the privacy of individuals is of utmost importance. The ABS has robust safeguards in place to protect personal information, including legal protections, and can never release any data that could identify an individual or a household.

During the Census, individuals are asked to provide their name and address, which are separated from the rest of the answers and destroyed once the processing is complete. The ABS retains names for up to 18 months and addresses for up to 36 months, after which they are permanently destroyed. The information collected is used to improve data linkage and the overall quality of statistics.

Once the Census processing period ends, no ABS staff member, past or present, can view personal identifiers alongside survey results. Names collected in this year's Census will be retained until February 2028, while addresses will be kept until August 2029. Individuals also have the option to preserve their information for 99 years by enrolling in the Census Time Capsule, which is securely transferred to the National Archives of Australia. This decision cannot be reversed once made.

ABS staff, including temporary employees, are legally obligated to protect the confidentiality of the information collected during the Census. Penalties for unauthorized disclosure of this data, either directly or indirectly, can include fines up to $26,400 and imprisonment for up to two years. Personal information is safeguarded under the 1905 Census and Statistics Act, ensuring its privacy for many years to come.