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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Just Put Pagan

OK, I've decided! (On my dilemma in previous post.) This census I'm not going to put 'Pagan - Wiccan' but just 'Pagan'.

This [edited] comment on facebook, from Linda Ward, at the group 'Pagan and the Australian Census 2011', is what decided me:

'On speaking (yes, actual conversation) with the chief statistician we were told that after the data is put in ASCRG code the raw data is destroyed and there is no way to tell if Pagan- was the precursor of the entry. [A particular faith] would not be counted as Pagan if it came after the dash. The most efficient way of getting true Pagan numbers is to Just Put Pagan. This is straight from the census horse's mouth. Why not get the basic Pagan numbers first, and then have the solid data to argue effectively with ABS for changes to the next census? Also from the ABS website they are very clear that they will not negotiate with one association on any changes - only a concerted multi-organisational process will have any chance of bringing about changes. It should also be noted that Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus do NOT seek to fracture their numbers into various schools but keep to the unified umbrella term for their faiths to maximise their census figures - and they have a greater population than we do. My advice to all (and this coming from one who was part of the original Pagan dash campaign committee) is Just Put Pagan.'

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