Doorknocking Census workers have the worst job in Australia right now

IT WAS sold as an “opportunity to make a difference” but thousands of Aussies are realising they have been sold a dud gig.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has hired thousands of field officers to doorknock residents who haven’t completed their Census forms, but they’re not all expected to be welcomed.

IT WAS sold as an “opportunity to make a difference” but thousands of Australian Census workers are awakening to the realisation they’ve been sold a dud gig.

In Census years past, the door knocks of helpful field officers were welcomed by Australians who appreciated their services.

We were happy to see the clipboard-wielding casual workers trudging towards our front doors, ready to collect the forms that Dad had filled out with a 2B, joined by the whole family around the dinner table, without hassle or controversy.

But this time around, as we’ve all come to know, the Census didn’t quite go according to plan. And while most of us experienced peak frustration on Census night and the days that followed when we were unable to log in following a series of cyber attacks, for those who put their hands up for a “challenging and rewarding” role in the count, the worst may be yet to come.

Earlier this year ABS began its recruitment drive, seeking 38,000 Australians to help out with the nationwide survey by visiting people’s homes.

The job was advertised as ‘our moment to make a difference’.

For $21.61 per hour, officers would have to encourage residents to complete the Census online, and where they didn’t, to remind them to fill out a paper form, supply them with one if they don’t already have it, and collect those that were filled out.

It was billed as a “challenging and rewarding role”, with successful applicants receiving the honour of “playing a role in shaping the future of Australia”.

But after the big Census night bungle, some of the officers may be regretting their decision.

The ABS Facebook page, and many others featuring posts about the Census and volunteers, has been inundated with threats of abuse and generally unwelcoming messages intended for innocent field workers.

With officers set to be deployed from today to target homes where residents have not submitted Census forms, some people have headed online to make their feelings known.

“Don’t even think about knocking on my door,” one user wrote.

Fewer households have completed the Census than originally expected due to the site’s outage on the big night.

A disgruntled Census participant wrote on the page they would only accept a visit from Census staff if it was for “a personal apology for the monumental stuff up”.

Some expressed sympathy for the workers, realising they would face “a lot of angry Australians”.

“Please pass my sympathy, prayers and thanks on to the frontline teams at Census Australia. I know this must be a very stressful time for you all as you try to help millions of us all at once,” wrote Gail Taylor on the Census Australia Facebook page.

Some users have questioned the professionalism of the casually employed field officers, and expressed doubts their personal information would be safe and secure with the temporary employees.

Census officers are this year equipped with small emergency alarms for the first time. The devices emit a loud siren once activated, and officers are instructed to push the button if they feared for their safety.

Census officers are being given panic alarms to wear while they go door knocking.

General manager of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Census and Statistical Network Division, Chris Libreri, told news.com.au the new safety measure was not in response to the widespread anger the Census generated this year.

“Basically we did a review of workplace safety after the last Census and one recommendation was that we should have alarms for officers,” he said.

“It’s not as much about being at the door but working around streets at night.”

Despite many people indicating Census collectors would get a hostile reception at doors this year, Mr Libreri said, so far, no workers had reported any threats or violence.

“We have already had thousands of field officers in the field and we have not been receiving anything like that,” he said.

“That’s not to say a small proportion of the population don’t like people knocking at their doors but overwhelmingly we get a warm welcome.

“If they have an axe to grind they don’t normally take it out on the Census collector.”

That said, however, Mr Libreri acknowledged the technology breakdown of Census night did create an untested climate for Census collectors this year.

“We don’t expect anyone to be standing and copping it if someone wants to abuse them,” he said.

“But there is no evidence that’s been an issue. There are literally thousands (of collectors) out there now and they notify us of an incidents and we’re not seeing that coming through.”

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says about eight million people are yet to complete their forms.

People have until September 23 to complete their Census forms, either electronically or via the old-fashioned paper form.

Australians who do not fill out the Census could face fines of $180 per day.