Another 800,000 postal survey forms returned in the last week

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released its latest postal survey estimates, saying that 10.8 million forms have now been returned.

The figure represents 67.5 per cent of the approximately 16 million eligible voters who were sent a survey form.

Previously reported figures show that the rate of return has remained consistent over the past two weeks, with the number increasing by 5 per cent – or 800,000 survey forms – each week.

There are only 10 days left until the recommended deadline to get forms back.

“Australians have recognised how important this issue is to their family, friends and colleagues and are doubling down to ensure that when this campaign is over we are left with the fair, equitable and inclusive country that we all want,” The Equality Campaign’s Shirleene Robinson said.

“The result today shows that even though Australians live busy lives they haven’t forgotten their LGBTI family and friends and their fight to be treated equally before the law.

“This is a great result and confirms that Australians want to get this done and are returning their surveys in record numbers,” Robinson concluded.

“These figures have defied expectations that the number of returned surveys would steadily decrease over the final weeks of the campaign,” Alex Greenwich said.

“Many Australians have pledged to return their survey forms before the 27th of October, and it seems that that’s what they intend to do right up until the deadline.

“We urge anyone who has misplaced their survey form or has had it damaged to contact the ABS — there are only four days left to request a replacement form by this Friday 20th October,” said Greenwich.

“Time is also running out for the more than a million Australians who are working or travelling overseas to make their voices heard by asking a trusted friend to fill out and return the survey on their behalf or by voting online with a secure access code.

“It is vital that no Australian misses out.”

The ABS will cut off returns of postal survey forms on November 7, with the result to be announced on November 15.