CENSUS AND STATISTICS AMENDMENT ACT 1977

No. 15 of 1977

An Act relating to the Census and to Statistics.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title, &c.

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Census and Statistics Amendment Act 1977.

(2) The Census and Statistics Act 1905 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which the Representation Amendment Act 1977 comes into operation.

Definitions.

3. Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting the definition of “The Statistician” and substituting the following definition:—

“‘Statistician’ means the Australian Statistician referred to in sub-section 5(2) of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975.”.

Appointment of Statistician.

4. Section 4 of the Principal Act is repealed.

Taking of Census.

5. Section 8 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting sub-section (1) and substituting the following sub-section:—

“(1) The Census shall be taken in the year 1981 and in every fifth year thereafter, and at such other times as are prescribed.”.

Statistics to be collected.

6. Section 16 of the Principal Act is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-section:—

“(2) The Statistician shall collect such statistics as are necessary for the purposes of the compilation of statistics referred to in paragraph 20(1)(a).”.

Compilation, &c., of statistics.

7. Section 20 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting sub-section (1) and substituting the following sub-section:—

“(1) The Statistician shall compile and tabulate—

(a) statistics of the number of the people of each State as on the last day of March, June, September and December in each year; and

(b) the statistics collected in pursuance of sub-section 16(1),

and shall publish those statistics or abstracts thereof, as the Minister directs, with observations thereon.”.

Amendment of section 15 of Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975.

8. Section 15 of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 is amended by omitting from sub-section (5) the words “powers and functions” and substituting the words “functions, powers and duties”.

Application.

9. Paragraph 20(1)(a) of the Principal Act as amended by this Act applies only in relation to the days referred to in that paragraph that occur after the commencement of this Act.