Census time in Oz

That's right - it is time for the census in Australia again.

I think it is funny the chatter that goes on about it every time it comes around.

There are the ones who are sometimes unkindly referred to as the tinfoil hat brigade - especially among Christians - you get those that are all wrapped up in the "end times" and they get carried away about the government trying to get all your details and information in preparation for the end times.

It makes me laugh because it is so irrelevant.

I have been involved in data acquisition of sorts and I can tell you that there is nothing in your backyard that I can't find out about with very little effort - even easier now that google earth and a few others (nearmap for instance - far better detail than google) are widely available.

So they can look at readily available photos and find out what you have in your back yard in, oh, about two minutes. And I know that there is far better aerial photography possible, and it is improving every day.

They already know where you live - if you own a house you pay rates, and they know about that.
They know how much you earn, because everyone here has to fill out a tax form.
They can access your bank account information - don't think they can't. Try not paying your taxes and see whether or not they can access your account.
They know what sort of car you drive - because your car has to be registered.
They know where you park regularly, because many carparks are watched by video surveillance, and they can cross reference your rego number.
They can tell where you drive if they want, by following the bank cards you use to buy fuel.
They could even, if they wanted to, find out what you buy -  the supermarkets cross reference their receipt with your bank receipt - and the government could get that info if they wanted, cross that with your bank account info and tell what sort of food you regularly buy.
If you catch a train or use public transport with one of the train cards they have here, they can tell which stations you get on and off at, and even which bus stop, because the busses can calculate how many zones you have travelled.
And of course if you use a mobile phone, they can know who you talk to and when, and even where you were when you did so.

So what are they going to find out from a census?

Nothing they can't already find out if you use any sort of modern technology or banking.

It makes you realise how easy it will be to control things in the tribulation.

But seriously - fill out the census and give them the info on your terms and maybe they won't have to go investigating too far, and maybe find some things out that you would rather they didn't.

Skelli.