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ABS AT A GLANCE

THE ABS VISION

Unleashing the power of statistics for a better Australia

WHO WE ARE

The ABS is Australia's official national statistical agency. The Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics was established over 100 years ago, following enactment of the Census and Statistics Act 1905. This agency became the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 1975 with the passing of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975. This Act also established the role of the Australian Statistician and defined the functions of the ABS.

WHAT WE DO

The ABS is a trusted provider of information for Australia. It maintains the confidentiality of the individuals and businesses whose information is collected while it strives to make statistics as accessible and useful as possible.

The ABS provides statistics on a wide range of economic, population, social, and environmental matters, covering government, business and the community. It also has an important coordination function with respect to the statistical activities of other official bodies, both in Australia and overseas.

WHERE WE ARE

The ABS has eight offices, located in each state and territory capital city. All state and territory offices have primary responsibility for the delivery of statistical services to their state or territory. These offices have ongoing engagement with state and territory governments on statistical services and priorities, generally through state and territory committees set up for that purpose.

OUR PLAN

The ABS Corporate Plan can be found on the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au. The plan presents the ABS's vision, strategic direction, strategic priorities and objectives, as well as the ABS's transformation agenda.

RESPONSIBLE MINISTER

The ABS is an agency under the Treasury portfolio. During 2014-15, the Hon. Steven Ciobo MP, then Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer and Federal Member for Moncrieff, had responsibility for the Australian Bureau of Statistics from July to December 2014.

In December 2014 the Hon. Kelly O'Dwyer MP, Federal Member for Higgins, took over ministerial responsibility for the ABS when she took office as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer.

AUTHORITY AND LEGISLATION

The Census and Statistics Act 1905 provides the Statistician with the authority to conduct statistical collections and, when necessary, to direct a person or an organisation to provide statistical information. The Act imposes obligations on the ABS to publish and disseminate compilations and analyses of statistical information, and to maintain the confidentiality of information collected under the Act.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 sets out the functions and responsibilities of the Statistician and the ABS:

(a) to constitute the central statistical authority for the Australian Government and, by arrangements with the governments of the states, provide statistical services for those governments;

(b) to collect, compile, analyse and disseminate statistics and related information;

(c) to ensure coordination of the operations of official bodies in the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics and related information, with particular regard to:

(i) the avoidance of duplication in the collection by official bodies of information for statistical purposes;

(ii) the attainment of compatibility between, and the integration of, statistics compiled by official bodies; and

(iii) the maximum possible utilisation, for statistical purposes, of information, and means of collection of information, available to official bodies;

(e) to provide advice and assistance to official bodies in relation to statistics; and

(f) to provide liaison between Australia, on the one hand, and other countries and international organisations, on the other hand, in relation to statistical matters.

Under the Statistics (Arrangements with States) Act 1956, Australian and state government statistical services have been integrated since 1958 (from 1924 for Tasmania). Although not covered by legislation, similar arrangements apply in both territories.

There were no amendments made to the Census and Statistics Act 1905 or the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 during 2014-15.

AUSTRALIAN STATISTICS ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Australian Statistics Advisory Council (ASAC) is the ABS's key advisory body and was established by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975. It provides valuable input to the directions and priorities of the ABS work program and reports annually to Parliament. The Council meets at least twice a year.

As set out in the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975, the role of the Council is to advise the Minister and the Statistician in relation to:

1. the improvement, extension and coordination of statistical services provided for public purposes in Australia
2. 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
3. any other matters relating generally to those statistical services.

Entity resource statement 2014–15	Actual available appropriation for 2014–15 $'000	Payments made 2014–15 $'000	Balance remaining 2014–15 $'000
	(a)	(b)	(a-b)
Ordinary Annual Services
Prior year departmental appropriation	63 304	63 304	-
Departmental appropriation Act 1	319 735	269 238	50 497
Departmental appropriation Act 5	1 726	-	1 726
S74 Retained Revenue Receipts	40 724	40 724	-
S27 Repayment to the Commonwealth	1 995	1 995	-
Departmental appropriation Act 1 – Capital Budget (DCB)	21 309	17 873	3 436
Total ordinary annual services	448 793	393 134	55 659
Other services
Departmental non-operating
Prior year departmental appropriation	224	137	87
Equity injections	5 328	5 328	-
Total other services	5 552	5 465	87
Total net resourcing and payments for Australian Bureau of Statistics	454 345	398 599	55 746

Expenses for Outcome 1 a	Budget	Actual Expenses	Variation
	2014–15	2014–15	2014–15
	$’000	$’000	$’000
	(a)	(b)	(a–b)
Outcome 1 Informed decision-making, research and discussion within governments and the community by leading the collection, analysis and provision of high quality, objective and relevant statistical information
Outcome 1 Departmental expenses
Departmental appropriation (Appropriation Bill No. 1 and 5)	362 185 (b)	364 552	(2 367)
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the budget year	32 709	29 484	3,225
Total Expenses for Outcome 1	394 894	394 036	858
	2013–14	2014–15
Average staffing level (number) (c)	2 637	2 641