Census 2016: Australians who don't complete form over privacy concerns face fines

Australian Bureau of Statistics fear boycott of census as privacy advocates say decision to retain names and addresses puts personal information at risk

Australians who refuse to answer questions in the 2016 census over privacy concerns surrounding the retention of their personal information could face heavy fines.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) announced in December 2015 it was planning to retain name and address information in the upcoming census in order to create a "richer and dynamic statistical picture" of Australia.