澳大利亚统计局（ABS）确认，2026年8月11日进行的人口普查所收集的个人数据受到法律严格保护，不会被警方、移民部门或其他政府机构共享[1]。根据《1905年人口普查和统计法》，违规泄露普查信息的人员将面临最高26,400澳元罚款和最长两年监禁的处罚[1]。ABS总经理Jenny Telford表示："保持人民数据安全和隐私是绝对关键的"[1]。
普查中收集的姓名和地址将在不同时期被删除[1]。姓名最长保留至2028年2月底，地址最长保留至2029年8月底，两项信息在处理过程早期会被分离，处理完成后将被销毁[1]。此外，参与者也可选择将信息保存99年并移交国家档案馆，这些数据在2125年前将无法访问[1]。
Australia's Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has assured the public that personal information collected during the 2026 Census will be safeguarded under strict legal protections and will not be shared with police, immigration authorities, or other government agencies.[1] The Census is scheduled to take place on August 11, 2026.[1]
The ABS has established specific retention periods for different types of personal data collected during the survey.[1] Names will be retained for a maximum of 18 months, until the end of February 2028, while addresses will be kept for up to 36 months until the end of August 2029.[1] Names and addresses will be separated early in the processing phase and destroyed once processing is complete.[1] Alternatively, respondents may choose to have their information preserved for 99 years and transferred to the National Archives, remaining inaccessible until 2125.[1]
The legal framework governing Census data protection is established under the Census and Statistics Act 1905.[1] Unauthorized disclosure of information carries significant penalties, including fines of up to AUD 26,400 and imprisonment of up to two years.[1] According to ABS General Manager Jenny Telford, "maintaining the safety and privacy of people's data is absolutely critical."[1]