Pyne says census is not for cheap shots

Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne has hit out at Bill Shorten's criticism of the census debacle and called on the opposition leader to wait until an investigation into the failure of the website is finished.

"Bill Shorten takes cheap shots ... it's his job as opposition leader to criticise but he also needs to be constructive and I urge people not make political mileage about something that is important everyone," Mr Pyne said in Brisbane on Thursday.

Mr Shorten on Wednesday labelled the 2016 census the worst run in Australian history, describing it as a "Turnbull train wreck."