The Australian Bureau of Statistics is reaching out to strata and building managers across the country ahead of the 2026 Census on 11 August, seeking to arrange access to secure apartment buildings so field officers can deliver materials and follow up with residents who do not complete the Census online.
With around 30,000 field staff hired to ensure every person in Australia is counted, the ABS has been coordinating access arrangements with strata corporations — a process that industry figures say can create significant logistical challenges for building managers.
What Census officers are asking of strata managers
Correspondence seen between ABS staff and a Melbourne-based strata management firm outlines the scope of access being requested. Census staff are seeking entry to secure premises between 8am and 8pm on weekdays and from 9am to 8pm on weekends, with visits expected to wrap up by the end of September.
Where field officers cannot meet with onsite management to gain entry, the ABS may request temporary access arrangements — including apartment keys, fob cards or passcodes for secure areas. All access keys, according to the ABS, are managed under strict protocols and returned once Census activities conclude.
In a statement, an ABS spokesperson confirmed that most residents in secure apartment buildings will receive Census instructions by mail, with one person generally completing the form online on behalf of their household. Paper forms and individual forms can be requested.
"Census staff may need building access to deliver materials prior to the Census in some areas of Australia," the spokesperson said. "After the Census, staff will need to follow up with households that have not completed their Census … access arrangements help Census staff undertake these activities efficiently and with minimal disruption to residents."
Industry warns of 'logistical nightmare' — and some officers overstepping
Joshua Baldwin, president of the Strata Community Association of Australasia, said he has been working to brief building managers on the Census process. While he acknowledged the value of Census data in providing insights into Australia's population and housing, he said coordinating access to secure buildings can become a "logistical nightmare".
"We get a lot of questions as to why they need access onto our property and who is going to be there," Baldwin said.
More concerning, he noted, are isolated reports of field officers pushing beyond reasonable requests. "Some Census officers have … just straight up demanded access" to keys, he said — behaviour he described as rare but problematic.
"Unfortunately, we can't provide that access without the permission of the strata corporation," he said.
Baldwin stressed that in the vast majority of cases, facilitating building access has been "quite fluid and quite easy," and that many strata managers have worked constructively with the ABS to find practical solutions.
Creative workarounds being used to protect building security
To reduce the risk of handing over physical keys directly, some strata managers have introduced temporary key box systems positioned outside buildings. These allow authorised Census staff to gain access as needed while maintaining security protocols for residents.
In other cases, the ABS and building staff have worked together to identify premises where residents may need additional support completing the Census — allowing for more targeted and less disruptive visits.
Why the Census matters — and who it covers
For more than a century, the Census has provided a detailed snapshot of life in Australia. The data collected covers not just Australian residents, but also international visitors and people on temporary visas — making complete coverage of all dwelling types, including secure apartment complexes, essential to its accuracy.
The ABS has emphasised that field officers will operate within defined hours and follow strict protocols throughout the process. Residents in secure buildings who have questions are encouraged to contact their strata manager in the lead-up to Census night on 11 August.
