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RESPONSIVENESS

Responding effectively to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse clients and stakeholders enables the ABS to produce relevant statistical products and services to encourage and assist informed decision making for culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Minimum Obligations:

5.1 Standards - Any whole-of-government standards and guidelines developed by the agency must address Multicultural Access and Equity considerations.

5.2 Policy, program and service delivery - Provision to ensure that policies, programs, community interactions and service delivery (whether in-house or outsourced) are effective for culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

5.3 Outsourced services - Provision for incorporation of Multicultural Access and Equity requirements in funding agreements with states or third-party service deliverers.

	Action	Accountability	Timeline	Target
5.1	5.1.1 Maintain the Australian statistical standards and classifications relevant to cultural and linguistic diversity. Relevant statistical standards and classifications include: · Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups · Australian Standard Classification of Languages · Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups · Standard Australian Classification of Countries · Demographic Variables · Language Variables · Standards for Statistics on Culture and Language Diversity	Directors, National Migrant Statistics Unit (where appropriate) and Standards and Classifications Section	By June 2015	Standards and classifications referred to are reviewed every 5 years, as per ABS policy. Note: In accordance with Recommendation 7 of the Access and Equity Inquiry, and the government’s response, the updated Standards for Statistics on Culture and Language Diversity will be released in 2013.
5.2	5.2.1 Continue to hold and participate in user group meetings, which inform the ABS work program in relation to culturally and linguistically diverse issues.	Program Heads	From July 2013	Culturally and linguistically diverse user issues are considered and incorporated into ABS work programs as appropriate.
	5.2.2 Continue to engage and utilise ABS culturally and linguistically diverse field staff and interviewers, as appropriate, for both the Census and a range of other ABS surveys.	First Assistant Statistician, ABS2017 Program Delivery Division	From July 2013	Language skills of ABS field staff and interviewers are utilised, as available and appropriate, to communicate with providers.
	5.2.3 Ensure representation on key ABS provider and user groups is culturally and linguistically diverse, as appropriate.	First Assistant Statistician, ABS2017 Program Delivery Division	By June 2015	Representation of cultural and linguistic diverse is identified on key ABS provider and user groups.
	5.2.4 Review Census Topics of greatest relevance to culturally and linguistically diverse groups including ancestry, country of birth and country of birth of parents for the Census of Population & Housing in 2016 to maximise the quality of this data.	Director, Census Data Section	By December 2014	Census 2016 Topics and Procedures are confirmed.
5.3	5.3.1 Where relevant, incorporate multicultural access and equity requirements into procurement, property and contracts as well as relevant guidance material and tender documentation.	Director, Procurement Section	From January 2014	New contracts adhere to relevant procurement guidelines and rules.