From ABC Radio National's Science Show. 

We hear people criticise the cost of the census. In Australia it happens every five years. There is also debate over the collection of medical data. Nicholas Gruen has studied the value of public information such as that provided by the census. He says there are clear cost benefits to collecting data and making it available. The Public Health Research Network generates $16 for each dollar spent on it. And the census generates $6 for each dollar spent.

Originally broadcast on Sat 18 Jan 2020.