FIXING THE CENSUS CRISIS

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website crash was a #CensusFail as many Australians couldn't take part.

Geoffrey Stackhouse, Managing Director, Clarity Solutions

It's been a really bad week for the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and its flagship product, the Census. 

No doubt it will go down in history along with that Roman Census which caused massive accommodation problems in Bethlehem. But rather than add to the chorus of Trolls stoning the ABS, let's help them out.

Their product fail has caused a reputation crisis, specifically a complete loss of trust from the public. And communication is the key to managing and rebuilding reputation.

You are part of a network of the world's great communicators. And just as scientists harness the computing power of idle devices to solve problems, let's reach out to the world's top communicators to develop a Communications plan to restore Australia's trust in the Census.

Because let's face it, they're not doing such a great job on their own.

Post or tweet your suggestions for restoring Australia's trust in the census, let's call it project #censuspheonix.

A few questions to focus your thinking:

1. Should they pull the product - like Tiger Woods dropping out of pro golf, or Qantas grounding the A380fleet, to give them some skin in the game?

2. Who should be the "public face" - the spokesperson channelling the messages. Clearly not Australian Census minister, Michael McCormack who's already gone rogue and inflamed the crisis.

3. How do they show learning and give us confidence in Census 2.0, and all online plebiscites. It's a big call friends of Clarity, but I look forward to your ideas. I'll take them to Minister McCormack personally.

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