OUR TRANSFORMATION GOALS
We are implementing a wide reaching transformation agenda to enable the ABS to achieve its purpose and ensure that we are a high performing organisation. The transformation agenda encompasses six facets of environment, strategy, governance, people, culture, and infrastructure.
OUR OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
We are operating in a rapidly changing information environment and the ABS must continuously adapt and respond to changes in stakeholder needs, government policy, and priorities. The Australian Government has a broad data reform agenda and is committed to maximising the use and value of public data as a national resource for the benefit of the Australian people. The Government has introduced a number of initiatives to optimise the use of public data while recognising that community trust will be vital to reforms to Australia’s data system. To do this, the ABS will work collaboratively with the public sector and business to better utilise existing data resources to improve efficiency and reduce red tape for business and the community.
The Government expects the ABS to be the main provider of Australian statistics used in the development and implementation of public policy and for a range of purposes by business, non-government organisations and the wider community (see the ABS Statements of Expectations and Intent). It also expects the ABS to exercise leadership of Australia’s national statistical system by overseeing the quality of official statistics and working in partnership with other countries and international organisations on statistical matters, including ensuring consistency with internationally accepted frameworks. To meet these expectations, the ABS will deliver high quality, and objective official statistical solutions and improve the accessibility, timeliness and relevance of Australia’s statistical information.
The continued trust and support of providers is critical to the ABS. The ABS intends to strengthen its relationships with the providers of this data, including Australian households, business and governments to ensure that it is able to perform its statutory functions well. The ABS protects the confidentiality of information provided and respects the contribution made by data providers while seeking to minimise the burden placed on them.
In the 2017-18 Budget, the Government funded the Data Integration Partnership of Australia (DIPA) as a coordinated Australian Public Service-wide investment to maximise the use and value of the Government’s data assets through data integration. Through DIPA, the Government is enhancing data assets and analytical capability to deliver better policy outcomes and better targeted and more effective services. The ABS is the primary Accredited Integrating Authority for the DIPA, and has been funded $37.7 million over three years to work collaboratively with data custodians to produce enduring linked data assets which combine high value data sources to better support policy development, while maintaining security and privacy of information.
OUR CAPABILITY
The ABS is required to maintain capability across varied disciplines to ensure greater use of our statistics to inform decision making. Over the term of this plan, we are consolidating and enhancing our capability to keep pace with the changing needs of stakeholders and to ensure future sustainability. Our capability will be enhanced in the following key areas:
- investing in infrastructure to enhance our ability to deliver statistical solutions, enabling us to exploit new opportunities and better meet the evolving needs of users
- enhancing our statistical capability by redesigning our statistical collections, methods, products and services in order to deliver a more sustainable statistical program
- increasing our data integration capability and capacity
- building organisational engagement capability and embedding relationship management as a core part of ABS business
- placing greater prominence on contemporary risk management, including statistical risk
- improving governance arrangements to support positive cultural change, innovation and effective risk management
- implementing a Workforce Strategy, with regularly updated People and Culture Action Plans, to build our capacity
- aligning our staff profile and structure to support a rationalised and responsive work program delivered by an agile, innovative, productive and skilled workforce
- enhancing our skills in identifying and managing privacy issues
- capitalising on contemporary ways of working and our geographic diversity
- implementing improved skills and methods to effectively communicate, market and promote our statistics, information and insights.
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