Australian census attacked by hackers

The Australian census website was shut down by what authorities claimed to be a series of deliberate attacks from overseas hackers.

Two-thirds of Australians were expected to complete the census on Tuesday night online rather than on paper, meaning that millions of Australians were prevented from taking part in the national survey.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had reportedly boasted only hours before that its website would not crash.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull assured the public that their personal information was not compromised, but despite this, a debate about privacy concerns has been raised.

Every five years, everyone in Australia is required to fill out forms are compiled to provide a snapshot of the country.