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OUR VISION FOR MULTICULTURAL ACCESS AND EQUITY

The Australian Bureau of Statistics vision for Multicultural Access and Equity is one where Australians of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are actively engaged with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and where governments and communities can make informed decisions about culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

OUR AGENCY

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is Australia’s national statistical agency. The ABS provides key statistics on a wide range of economic, environmental and social issues. The ABS also plays an important leadership and coordination role in relation to the statistical activities of other official bodies, both within Australia and internationally.

The ABS mission is to assist and encourage informed decision making, research and discussion within governments and the community, by leading a high quality, objective and responsive national statistical service.

ABS data is utilised by governments and the community to make informed decisions which can impact policies, programs and service delivery relating to culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Support of the ABS from Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities is important for ensuring that ABS’ statistics remain relevant and are representative of the culturally and linguistically diverse population. Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse population can be engaged in one or more of the various aspects of ABS operations, including stakeholder consultation during the development of a collection process, providing data for ABS surveys or using ABS data to make or support informed decisions. In achieving this, the ABS will seek to leverage the skills and insights of its culturally and linguistically diverse staff base.

The ABS plays a key statistical leadership and coordination role in providing and supporting the information needs for culturally and linguistically diverse communities. In particular:

• the ABS undertakes the Census of Population and Housing (Census) every five years, which is a comprehensive and valuable source of information about each culturally and linguistically diverse group, and the Australian population as a whole;
  
• the ABS maintains a number of statistical classifications and standards relevant to informing culturally and linguistically diverse statistics;
  
• a range of ABS statistical products are identified in the Australian Government’s Multicultural Access and Equity Policy Toolkit, to support other government agencies develop and measure their Agency Multicultural Plans;
  
• ABS household surveys collect and make available information on culturally and linguistically diverse groups; and
  
• the ABS partners with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to fund the work program of the National Migrant Statistics Unit. The National Migrant Statistics Unit leads the development of migrant statistics in Australia to better support policy makers and planners to meet emerging challenges related to migrants and migration.

OUR AGENCY MULTICULTURAL PLAN

The ABS Agency Multicultural Plan (AMP) 2013-15 was developed by the AMP Working Group. This Group is chaired by ABS’ Chief Operating Officer who is also the ABS Senior Multicultural Access and Equity Champion. The AMP Working Group members include representatives from all ABS business areas. Representatives are at the Assistant Statistician or Director level, to help ensure commitment to Multicultural Access and Equity across the organisation.

Through this AMP the ABS has identified significant access and equity activities that are already undertaken within the ABS, as well as committing to actions that will further improve access and equity for Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse population. Actions within the AMP align with the ABS Values, which are Access for all, Trust of Providers, Integrity, Service, Professionalism and Relevance. These actions also seek to progress the ABS mission of assisting and encouraging informed decision making, research and discussion within governments and the community, by leading a high quality, objective and responsive national statistical service.