Mr Laurie Ferguson asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice, on 16 September 2003:

(1) Did he recently launch the publication The People of Australia which contains statistics on the religions of, birthplaces of, and languages spoken by, the people in each of the 600 local government areas in Australia and detailed information for each State and Territory and for Australia as a whole.

(2) Is he aware that the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has circulated an information paper proposing a drastic reduction in the amount of multicultural data that will be collected as part of the 2006 Census of Population and Housing.

(3) Is it the case that a wide variety of welfare and ethnic community organisations have expressed opposition to the changes proposed by the ABS.

(4) Will he undertake to do everything possible to ensure that there will be no reduction in the amount of multicultural data that will be collected in the 2006 Census.

Mr Hardgrave (Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister) —The Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable member's question:

(1) Mr Ruddock the then Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs released The People of Australia publication.

(2) I am aware of the ABS information paper.

(3) I am aware that many community groups are concerned about the ABS's proposed changes. Many such community groups and other organisations will have put in submissions to the ABS directly. Mr Ruddock received submissions and comments from State governments regarding the changes proposed by ABS. These have been forwarded to the Treasurer, the Hon Peter Costello MP, for his information.

(4) My Department has made several detailed submissions to the ABS not only opposing the reduction in multicultural data but also requesting more detailed questions on some of these topics. The Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Gary Hardgrave MP, has written to, and will also meet with the Treasurer to discuss these issues. I have instructed my Department to continue to press the ABS on this matter.