Key Documents
The Statistics Determination 1983 (the Determination) is due to sunset on 1 October 2018 and needs to be remade so the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) can continue to provide detailed statistical information that helps to inform policy making. The Determination enables the ABS to release key economic indicators such as International Trade in Goods and Services, Building Approvals and components of the National Accounts.
The Determination is a key legislative instrument under the Census and Statistics Act 1905 (the Act). It sets out the circumstances under which the ABS may release statistical information collected under the Act, including:
- what information can be released;
- who the information can be released to; and
- any conditions that apply to how recipients may use that information.
On 7 December 2017, Treasury released a consultation paper seeking the community’s views on proposed changes to the Determination to modernise it and improve access to data for policy makers, researchers and academics. Consultation on these proposed changes closed on 16 February 2018.
Treasury received 18 submissions on the consultation paper. A paper summarising and responding to the main issues raised in submissions is included above.
Feedback on the proposed changes has been taken into account in preparing the updated Determination, which incorporates all of the changes proposed in the December consultation paper.
Treasury is now seeking stakeholder views on the exposure draft of the Census and Statistics (Information Release and Access) Determination 2018, which would replace the Statistics Determination 1983.