In 2020–21, the ABS revised its purpose and objectives to better reflect its priorities, and ensure the performance measures and outcomes of key activities align.1 Last years' objectives, performance measures, methods and targets can be viewed online in the ABS Corporate Plan 2019–20.
Objective 1 - Produce high-quality statistics
1.1 Trust in ABS Statistics - level of trust in the ABS and its statistics
| Method | Target | Years measured |
|
| Community Trust in ABS Statistics Survey (CTASS) | At least 85% level of trust in ABS and ABS statistics | CTASS is conducted every five years;
with the next survey scheduled for 2025 |
|
| Number of statistics released free of significant errors2 | 100% of statistics are released free of significant errors | 2020–21 to 2023–24 |
|
1.2 International compliance - ABS statistics meet standards for National and International Accounts, Labour Force, Unemployment, Consumer Price Index, and Estimates of Resident Population
| Method | Target | Years measured |
|
| Compliance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS)3 | IMF assess ABS to be 100% compliant with SDDS for in-scope collections | 2020–21 to 2023–24 |
|
1.3 Conduct the Census4 - implementation of the Census to deliver trusted Census data
| Method | Target | Year measured |
|
| Successful completion of the 2020 Census Test | 2020 Census Test is completed, and the evaluation report agreed and accepted by the Census governance forum | 2020–21 |
|
| Response rate to 2021 Census | 95% response rate | 2021–22 |
|
| Independent survey of user sentiment toward the 2021 Census | 80% of the community support the Census | 2021–22 |
|
| Validation of the quality of 2021 Census data by the independent Assurance Panel | 2021 Census data is of a comparable quality to previous Censuses | 2021–22 |
|
| Release of the first statistics from the 2021 Census within 12 months of Census night | First release of Census data occurs before 10 August 2022 | 2022–23 |
|
| Establish plans for 2026 Census | Plans for the 2026 Census have been established and verified by the Census Assurer | 2023–24 |
|
Objective 2 - Improve access to ABS statistics
2.1 Access to ABS data and statistics - access to data products and services
| Method | Targets | Year measured |
|
Composite index of channel access:
- Calls to Application Programming Interface service
- Number of DataLab sessions
- Invoices for customised data services
- Count of ABS website hits
- Registered users of TableBuilder
| Index benchmark (100) | 2020–21 |
|
| 102 | 2021–22 |
|
| 1065 | 2022–23 |
|
| 108 | 2023–24 |
|
Objective 3 - Reduce burden on data providers
3.1 Burden on survey respondents - time taken to complete business surveys
| Method | Targets | Year measured |
|
| Average time taken (in hours and minutes) for survey respondents to complete business surveys | No target - establish benchmark | 2020–21 |
|
| 0 percentage point decrease on benchmark | 2021–22 |
|
| 6.5 percentage point decrease on benchmark | 2022–23 |
|
| 13 percentage point decrease on benchmark | 2023–24 |
|
3.2 Efficiency of statistical operations - improve efficiency with which data is collected
| Method | Case Studies | Years measured |
|
| Case studies showing efficiencies made in collecting data for statistical purposes | Case Study 1
Combining reporting requirements to reduce burden and duplication - ABS use of Economic and Financial Statistics data to replace some components of the Quarterly Business Indicators Survey.
Case Study 2
Modernisation of the methodology used for Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE). This new high-quality business linkage infrastructure will provide more timely integration of data, quarterly business activity statement updates, and richer data. | 2021–22 to 2023–24 |
|
Objective 4 - Produce new statistics and data
4.1 Stakeholder impact - new statistics or methods are used by customers to inform high-priority areas or policy directions
| Method | Case Studies | Years measured |
|
| Case studies showing the outcomes of new statistics or methods used to inform high-priority areas and new policy directions | Case Study 1
Implementation and use of COVID-19 household and business surveys.
Case Study 2
ABS use of de-identified big data to support the NSW Their Futures Matter project. This data will support the evaluation of the effectiveness of public policies and interventions for vulnerable children and young people within NSW, and identify characteristics of families and people with poor long-term outcomes. | 2021–22 to 2023–24 |
|
1. The ABS made changes to some of the methods it will use to calculate performance against targets. In addition, for some new quantitative measures, the ABS will be establishing a benchmark to compare performance improvement in future years. These new quantitative performance measures will not have a specific target for 2020–21. The ABS will more fully explain these changes to its performance measures, methods and targets in its 2020–21 Annual Performance Statement which will be published in late 2021 as part of its 2020–21 Annual Report.
2. An error is significant if it could mislead a user as to the value of a statistical indicator of national or state importance.
3. https://dsbb.imf.org/sdds
4. Each Census is implemented over a five year period and as such, targets for this measure change each year to reflect the major phases of Census. Targets relevant to the years covered by this Plan are included here.
5. This significant increase over the 2021–22 target reflects the likelihood of high levels of interest in 2021 Census releases. |
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