Australia Explained

Australias census has a history of keeping personal information secure and private. However, this year the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will make it compulsory for people to include their names and addresses. Privacy advocates are concerned that the move will not only lead to public backlash against the census but also undermine the accuracy and credibility of the census results.

The 2016 census on August 9 will be Australia's biggest ever survey. Run every five years, the census identifies key characteristics of the population to help plan for the country's future. And this year most people will complete it online.

Australia's major cities are housing most of our population - two in three of us live in a capital city. Growing urbanisation has prompted governments to find new ways to encourage migrants to settle in regional and rural towns. However living in the country has its challenges.

The federal election is just around the corner with the 45th Parliament of Australia set to be formed after election day on July 2. So how do elections determine our next government?