In a census when people are asked their religion relatives who are not now practicing their religion will still identify themselves as JW`s ,even ones that are DF`d are still likely to identify themselves as JW`s .
Many that have just drifted away without going to meetings anymore and have not definetely decided they dont want to be associated with JW`s are still likely to identify themselves as a JW on a Census form.
Many people that no longer associate with the JW religion are ones that I describe as persons who have left the "truth" but the "truth" has never left them
They may never go to a KH meeting for the rest of their life but they will still identify themselves as a Jehovahs witness (just in case it is true the indoctrination/ hedging their bets I would say.)
So I would take what a Census says about the population of jehovahs Witnesses in Australia with a grain of salt.
it is obviously overstated.
Food for thought :How many Jw`s are their in peak publishers in the yearbook in a given year and how many are reported in the same yearbook for memorial attendance ?
A big discrepancy I believe.
The indoctrination/superstitions that many people have