About 100 Census collectors have been hitting the streets in the region to deliver Census forms to every home, houseboat and hospital to ensure every person is accurately counted on Census night, Tuesday, August 9.
Semi-retired Newman College handyman Keith Sandie is overseeing the count in the outer suburbs of Port Macquarie. The Scottish-born father of two moved to Australia 40 years ago and made the Mid-North Coast his home in the 80s.
This year is Keith’s second Census as an Area Supervisor in Port Macquarie and this Census he is leading a team of seven collectors.
Keith believes the Census is vital, especially for a growing region like Port Macquarie-Hastings.
“Port Macquarie has doubled in size since I first arrived. It’s expanding as we speak, with new subdivisions springing up every year,” Keith says.
“It’s just like a suburb from the North Shore of Sydney plonked on the North Coast. What I like most about Port Macquarie is that it is not in Sydney but has many of the benefits you get from living in a big city.
“There is a continual influx of people and the Census highlights areas where infrastructure and services are required.”
More information is available online at www.abs.gov.au/census or by calling the Census Inquiry Service on 1300 338 776.
