Presumably there is a process to follow.
Stack the envelopes.
Open the envelopes.
Run the forms through an optical reader.
Check for ineligible forms.
Stack the forms.
Staff are probably assigned to tasks relevant to the stage of the process.
Releasing any selection results before entries close may affect voting intention of those who haven't returned.
The ABS say they only want to promote survey awareness by announcing estimated eligible return rates.
ABS Deputy Australian Statistician and Taskforce Lead, Jonathan Palmer, said given processing will take quite some time, official statistics including participation rates will not be available until 15 November when the survey results are released.
“The ABS recognises there is great public interest in the survey's progress. These updates may encourage participation by those who have not yet responded and will inform reasonable public expectations about the likely final level of response,” he said.
The primary input to the weekly estimate, issued at the National level only, will be Australia Post’s assessment of the number of containers of sorted envelopes rather than counts of individual forms. ABS will then apply some adjustments based on factors like responses received through other channels and an allowance for forms that are damaged, invalid (ie barcodes removed, copied), and invalidated (ie cancelled when new forms are issued).
“The estimation method and the anonymous return envelopes means the ABS can't provide any further detail."
