If numbers don’t show, we miss out: Sheba
(Sheba Nandkeolyar is the CEO of Multicall Connexions, the agency which has been selected by ABS Census Australia to communicate about the Census 2011 messages to all the multicultural communities. She is the marketing strategist and works closely with clients to target multicultural audiences.)
Sheba Nandleokyar says that Census 2011 is quite special as it marks the 100th year of Census in Australia with first Census having been conducted in the year 1911. TIDU asked some questions from Sheba specific to the Indian community to do with Census, questions in the Census questionnaire that Indian community should look out for? Answers Sheba, “The Census survey has some extremely important questions that capture data specific to the Indian community. Question No. 12 where we are asked ”˜In which country was the person born?’ ”˜India’ or any other sub-continent country must be entered under the column ”˜Other, please specify’.
“Question number 16 is important where you are asked if you speak a language other than English at home. I would sincerely advise the Indian community to enter their spoken language be it Hindi or any other in the column ”˜Other, Please specify’.
Question number 18 is quite important where a person’s ancestry is noted. Again it is good to give our Indian background even if we are born here as the ancestry continues to be Indian. Ancestry should not be misunderstood for ”˜citizenship’.
Sheba points to another question number 19, “This question must be answered carefully which asks about your religion. Indian community should enter ”˜Hindu’ or any other religion they follow under ”˜Others’.”
Sheba stresses the fact that as a member of the Indian community and as member of the wider multicultural community in Australia that the Census form should be filled up on the night of August 9 and tendered to the collectors when they come knocking on your door.
“And since the E-Census form on the net is available throughout the month of August it can be filled in easy steps and at your convenience. I recommend that you do that by the end of August when the collection of Census closes,” adds Sheba.
About the Census and its benefits says Sheba, “If we are able to get ourselves recorded accurately the data benefits the Indian community as also other communities in Australia in various ways. For example if we know where the Indians are settling down and in which state the government funding can reflect those additional numbers in providing services specific to certain sections of those community.”
“Not only transport, hospitals but Census helps in planning decisions about community services. The government uses Census data for all sorts of planning purposes about infrastructure, services to community where they live.”
“It is obviously quite important that the numbers are recorded correctly so that government can better plan and apply its planning where needed. Also federal governments’ funding arrangements to state and territory governments are based on Census information.”
Says Sheba, “Last but not the least is that the census data is used by marketers to target better services and their products to various communities. If numbers don’t show up we miss out. So we must get ourselves counted and that everyone fills the Census form be it a citizen, resident, tourist, student or a visitor.”
(Sheba Nandkeolyar is the CEO of Multicall Connexions, the agency which has been selected by ABS Census Australia to communicate about the Census 2011 messages to all the multicultural communities. She is the marketing strategist and works closely with clients to target multicultural audiences.)
Sheba Nandleokyar, CEO of Multicall – a campaign company which has been assigned with disseminating information and awareness about Census 2011 in the multicultural community, said that Census 2011 was quite special as it marks the 100th year of Census in Australia with first Census having been conducted in the year 1911. TIDU asked some questions specific to the Indian community to do with Census, the questions that Indian community should look out for? Answers Sheba, “The Census survey has some extremely important questions that capture data specific to the Indian community. Question No. 12 where we are asked ”˜In which country was the person born?’ ”˜India’ or any other sub-continent country must be entered under the column ”˜Other, please specify’.
“Question number 16 is important where you are asked if you speak a language other than English at home. I would sincerely advise the Indian community to enter their spoken language be it Hindi or any other in the column ”˜Other, Please specify’.
Question number 18 is quite important where a person’s ancestry is noted. Again it is good to give our Indian background even if we are born here as the ancestry continues to be Indian. Ancestry should not be misunderstood for ”˜citizenship’.
Sheba points to another question number 19, “This question must be answered carefully which asks about your religion. Indian community should enter ”˜Hindu’ or any other religion they follow under ”˜Others’.”
Sheba stresses the fact that as a member of the Indian community and as member of the wider multicultural community in Australia that the Census form should be filled up on the night of August 9 and tendered to the collectors when they come knocking on your door.
“And since the E-Census form on the net is available throughout the month of August it can be filled in easy steps and at your convenience. I recommend that you do that by the end of August when the collection of Census closes,” adds Sheba.
About the Census and its benefits says Sheba, “If we are able to get ourselves recorded accurately the data benefits the Indian community as also other communities in Australia in various ways. For example if we know where the Indians are settling down and in which state the government funding can reflect those additional numbers in providing services specific to certain sections of those community.”
“Not only transport, hospitals but Census helps in planning decisions about community services. The government uses Census data for all sorts of planning purposes about infrastructure, services to community where they live.”
“It is obviously quite important that the numbers are recorded correctly so that government can better plan and apply its planning where needed. Also federal governments’ funding arrangements to state and territory governments are based on Census information.”
Says Sheba, “Last but not the least is that the census data is used by marketers to target better services and their products to various communities. If numbers don’t show up we miss out. So we must get ourselves counted and that everyone fills the Census form be it a citizen, resident, tourist, student or a visitor.”
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