EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1986 NO. 30
ISSUED BY AUTHORITY OF THE TREASURER
Census and Statistics Act 1905 - Census Regulations (Amendment)
Section 27 of the Census and Statistics Act 1905 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations not inconsistent with the Act prescribing all matters and things which, by the Act, are required or permitted to be prescribed for the carrying out of or giving effect to the Act.
The Census and Statistics Amendment Act 1985 amended section 2 of the Act to provide that the Act, other than Part III which relates to the collection of statistics, shall extend to such external Territories as are prescribed.
This amendment was made to enable external Territories to be included in the Australian Census of Population and Housing where it is practicable and desirable to do so. The change reflects in part the Government’s policy that inhabitants of the Territories will be treated in the same way as other Australians and obviates the need, in the Territories prescribed, for local ordinances to authorise the Census.
It is now proposed to prescribe Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands for the purpose of section 2 of the Act as Territories to be included in the Census.
After consultation with the Norfolk Island Government, the Department of Territories has arranged for a separate census to be conducted on Norfolk Island in 1986 under the Norfolk Island Census and Statistics Ordinance.
Authority: Section 27 of the Census and Statistics Act 1905