[LINK] Census: OAIC's Vacuous Pseudo-Investigation Report

[David Lochrin]

On 2016-08-11 16:28 Frank O'Connor wrote:

> But I’m sure there’ll be enough blame to go around (and disappear up some bureaucratic fundament) when it all comes out in the whitewash.       :)

At least it might wipe the appearance of cocky self-assurance from Bureaucrat Kalsich, who no doubt received a terse 'phone call from Turnbull.  But I'm surprised IBM allowed themselves to be part of something with such obvious potential for a major, and very public, stuffup.

I'm inclined to think the whole project was simply not thought out properly in terms of its software engineering.  "Why don't we save money and get instant results by putting the census online?"  "Uber Cool!  Innovation!  What a great idea, let's just DO IT!!"

Whoops...  If anything like that is to be practicable it probably calls for a fundamental change in how the census is architected.

According to Peter Martin, an economist who writes for Fairfax, "'Reckless' doesn't begin to describe the new culture at the top of the Bureau of Statistics." - see http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/census-meltdown-just-the-latest-bureau-of-statistics-bungle-20160809-gqow3e.html


On 2016-08-11 16:46 Marghanita wrote:

> Just testing the system as reports of it being down on twitter. I got:
> 
> "Log in to your 2016 Census
>   * JavaScript is required to use this online form. Please enable
>     JavaScript on your device or for assistance call the Census Inquiry
>     Service on 1300 214 531. [code 950]"

JavaScript hasn't even been part of MS Windows for many years, has it?

David L.