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Huguenots - Family Charts & Calligraphy - Genie Research |
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As the story below will show, Nick was the driving force behind the campaign to save the Australian Census. It was Nick's belief that destroying the Census was Public vandalism. He used to say "It cost the Government millions of dollars, then they pay more millions to destroy it." He held this belief from about 1977 until the the Government agreed to give people a choice about whether to retain their details or not. The original reason to destroy the Census went back to Convict times, and people not wanting this information made public. Now those with known Convict ancestry wear it like a proud badge. There is no valid reason to continue destroying the Census. As Nick used to say : "Most, if not all other Western nations retain their Census and embargo it for 100 years, so why can't Australia?"
He fought valiantly, over many years, to achieve success, and just lived long enough to see the fruits of his labour.
Even though seriously ill, he was still active in promoting the cause, right up to Census Day 2006, as witness in the newspaper article below, written in August 2006, shortly before his death on 31st October.
Unfortunately Nick did not live long enough to know he was awarded Queens Birthdays Honour in the 2007, as a Member of the Order of Australia. He was awarded an AM, (Australia Medal) which was awarded posthumously to his son John, in a ceremony held in Adelaide in 2007, also attended by his daughter Katy. He would have been so pleased and proud to know his work was recognised after so many years of dedication to the advancement of Genealogy in Australia.
2006 AUSTRALIAN CENSUS TO BE SAVED
Thanks to lobbying by the Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations (AFFHO) the Australian Census is to be saved in the National Archives of Australia at a cost of $19 million approved in last night's budget. This is the largest government funding allocation to genealogical studies in Australia's history. There will be a 99 year privacy embargo. AFFHO is Australia's peak genealogical organisation and represents an estimated 300,000 genealogical record users across the country.
An intense 20 year political campaign by AFFHO prior to the 2001 survey, resulted in a complete reversal on a long standing Federal Government policy to destroy Census returns and publish numerical statistics only. Before 2001, no census survey of national coverage in Australia has survived since 1828. A pivotal role in bringing about this amazing change in policy was that played by Stephen MUTCH, the former Federal Member for Cook, who took a strong personal interest in the census issue and lobbied hard within parliament.
The 2001 decision involved only the census for that year, and continued lobbying by AFFHO has brought about this latest decision. The cost of running the Australian Census is in the order of $300 million dollars.
AFFHO is especially grateful to the Federal Treasurer, Mr. Peter COSTELLO, who is responsible for the Australian Bureau of Statistics, for his strong support on the 2006 Census retention decision. We express our thanks also to Senator Mitch FIFIELD (Victoria) and the Hon Chris PEARCE, MHR, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, who worked hard to help achieve the 2006 Census retention outcome.
During the next 15 months until census day on 8 August 2006, AFFHO will be working with the Australian Bureau of Statistics to assist in the public education campaign on Census retention, which is part of Government's budget package
HISTORIC MEETING
AFFHO Census Working Party members meeting with Federal Members of Parliament to lobby for the retention of the August 2006 Australian Census - Melbourne 29 April 2005.
L-R: Senator Mitch FIFIELD; Chris PEARCE, MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer; Nick VINE HALL and Don JEWELL, AFFHO. For more information see AFFHO Census Working Party see www.aigs.org.au
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