I, SCOTT JOHN MORRISON, Treasurer, give this direction to the Australian Statistician (the Statistician ) under paragraph 9(1)(b) of the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

1. Name

This is the Census and Statistics (Statistical Information) Direction 2017.

2. Authority

This direction is given under paragraph 9(1)(b) of the Census and Statistics Act 1905 (the Statistics Act).

3. Collection of statistics

(1) The Statistician is to collect the following statistical information in relation to matters prescribed for the purposes of section 9 of the Statistics Act (in particular, one or more of items 5, 30 and 38 in the table in regulation 13 of the Census and Statistics Regulation 2016):

(a) statistical information about the proportion of electors who wish to express a view about whether the law should be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry (participating electors);

(b) statistical information about the proportion of participating electors who are in favour of the law being changed to allow same-sex couples to marry;

(c) statistical information about the proportion of participating electors who are against the law being changed to allow same-sex couples to marry.

(2) The statistical information is to include information about participating electors at the national level, at the level of each State and Territory, and at the level of each electoral division.

(3) The statistical information identified is to be published on or before 15 November 2017.

(4) In this section:

elector means a person:

(a) enrolled on the Commonwealth electoral roll at the end of 24 August 2017; or

(b) who has made a valid application for enrolment on the Commonwealth electoral roll before the end of 24 August 2017.