1001.0 - Annual Report - ABS Annual Report, 2005-06

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/10/2006

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Contents >> Section 2 - Introduction >> Chapter 2 - Overview of the ABS >> Australian Statistics Advisory Council

Australian Statistics Advisory Council

The Australian Statistics Advisory Council (ASAC) was established by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 to be the key advisory body to the Minister and the ABS on statistical services. It provides valuable input to the directions and priorities of the ABS work program and reports annually to Parliament. ASAC meets twice yearly.

The functions of ASAC, as set out in the ABS Act, are to advise the Minister and the Statistician in relation to:

a. the improvement, extension and coordination of statistical services provided for public purposes in Australia;

b. annual and longer term priorities and programs of work that should be adopted in relation to major aspects of the provision of those statistical services; and

c. any other matters relating generally to those statistical services.

The Chairperson of ASAC is Professor Sandra Harding, Deputy Vice Chancellor (International and Development), Queensland University of Technology.

The mission of the Australian Statistics Advisory Council is:

To ensure that, in keeping with Council's statutory charter, the advice furnished to the Minister and the Statistician in relation to the collection and dissemination of statistics has due regard to relative priorities, is objective, relevant, timely, constructive and practical, and that it is sensitive to the needs of both suppliers and users of statistical data.

All state and territory governments are represented on ASAC. The other Council members are chosen to represent a broad cross-section of perspectives, covering government, business, academic and community interests.

The Australian Statistics Advisory Council meeting on 30 May 2006.