ABS responds to 'Rubbery figures on migrant flood' (The Age, Wednesday 7 April 2010)
The headline 'Rubbery figures on migrant flood' was an unfortunate and inaccurate choice for Peter McDonald's article on net overseas migration reported in The Age on Wednesday 7 April. The methodology behind the data reported in this article is widely accepted as a significant improvement in the way that Australia's population is estimated on a quarterly basis by the ABS. The point of the article was to indicate the change in approach and to explain the differences.
It is a pity that the headline was inaccurate and totally missed the point!
Brian Pink
Australian Statistician
ABS responds to 'Rubbery figures on migrant flood' (The Age, Wednesday 7 April 2010)