2026 is a Census year for all Australian households. On Tuesday, the 11th of August, all residents and households will be counted to provide a comprehensive picture of Australia's population. This is used for planning services and infrastructure.

This year's census is particularly relevant for the Lismore LGA, as it will provide an accurate picture of the population following the 2022 floods, which decimated about 2,000 homes. Since then, there has been a lot of debate about the decline of Lismore's population.

A Census year also means the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) looks for casual employees to help with the process, which includes regional centres.

Right now, the ABS is hiring more than 2,700 Field Managers for the 2026 Census.

Field Managers play a critical role in helping communities across Australia complete the Census.

Each Field Manager will train, lead and manage a team of up to 12 Field Officers in their local area.

Census National Spokesperson, Emily Walter, said Field Managers will be hired locally, where possible, to provide valuable local knowledge and support to Census staff on the ground in communities.

''To run a successful Census, we need to reach everyone across Australia, from our capital cities to our most remote towns," Ms Walter said.

"While we expect most people will choose to complete the Census online, there are many people who will require extra support. Field Managers will play a key role in providing this support."

As well as managing a team of Census Field Officers, Field Managers will help places like local hotels, hospitals and caravan parks to prepare for the Census because not everyone will be in a house on Census night.

"We're looking for people who have experience training and supervising teams, and who are interested in flexible, temporary work beginning in April 2026," Ms Walter said.

The ABS is looking for people who have the following skillset:

• experience managing, training and supervising teams
• strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• connections to their community and local area knowledge
• ability to communicate sensitively and respectfully and consider different cultural and diverse backgrounds when communicating.

In addition to Field Managers, the ABS is also currently hiring Local Engagement Officers. For these jobs, the ABS is looking for people who have experience working with diverse communities, including people experiencing homelessness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, and people who speak languages other than English.

In the coming weeks, the ABS will also open applications for Mobile Field Representatives, Remote Area Management team members and team leaders, and Community Field Officers.

People can visit www.census.abs.gov.au/jobs for more information and to join the 2026 Census Talent Community to be notified about future Census jobs.