What Thinking Australians Are Thinking
Having not yet filled in my census form due to the website crash, I would like to thank the Greens for their timely warning not to give my name and address because one cannot be sure of the integrity of future governments. Good advice, because I am terrified that one day the Greens may hold power.
Iain Rae, River Heads, Qld
Lies, damned lies and statistics.
Alex Haege, Tamarama, NSW
I did the census on Tuesday night. My pen did not crash.
James Nelson, Koonwarra, Vic
On Wednesday morning a lot of people were probably saying: “I told you so.” The responsible minister should be sacked and no doubt a few other heads should roll. Such a huge stuff-up demands accountability, and a thorough review of the ABS is required. This incident has wasted millions of dollars at a time we need budget repair.
Graham Reynolds, Ballarat North, Vic
When I was young, we had a few cliches to hand: “Your cheque is in the mail,” and, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
Modern financial practices have abolished cheques, but I was wondering what was available to maintain my diet of fatuous remarks I could read and hear every day. “Our golden boys and girls in the pool”, and, “Sub-standard Olympic villages,” come around only every four years.
Thankfully, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has provided me with a reliable and long-lasting new cliche: “My data is safe.”
Nassan al Khalifti, Dandenong, Vic
In order to send a message to the Nick Xenophon website, name and address are required fields. You can trust Xenophon for security.
John Murray, West End, Qld
Your editorial (“Census marketing fails but answers must be provided”, 10/8) misses the point. The recalcitrant senators are pure ideologues. They have no interest in data, analysis, research or evidence-based policy making. Why bother with facts when you already have all the answers?
Keith Mackay, Campbell, ACT
What’s the appropriate fine for being an incompetent bureaucrat? Can I suggest $185 a day?
Vincent O’Brien, North Adelaide, SA
It appears that the presumed hacking of the census website has hacked any chances of a successful introduction of an electronic voting system, and as a result many will be hacked off. I am prepared to wait two weeks after an election for a definitive result that is genuine.
A. I. Gardner, Nedlands, WA
Did the online census crash because of incompetence or because hackers broke in? So much for the security and privacy for online respondents.
Tim Fatchen, Mt Barker, SA