Census time

The local census official came by today with my form, which reminded me that 8 August, the census day (more accurately night), is nigh.

I've seen an ABS TV commercial featuring Ernie Dingo at a Brisbane railway station and a newspaper ad with a message of support from a number of corporations, but otherwise there seems to have been little discussion about the census. I recall that at previous census times there has been a fair bit of discussion about some of the questions asked, and the privacy aspects. Are we now more inured to government statistical gathering, or are there too many other matters preoccupying us at present?

I have one observation: the form is relatively long (18 pages); and one question: how far in advance of census night can you fill it (or parts thereof) in?