1300.1.55.001 - Statistics News NSW, Dec 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/12/2006   
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IMPROVING ACCESS TO CURF MICRODATA

A Confidentialised Unit Record File (CURF) is a file of responses to an ABS survey that has had specific identifying information about a person or organisation confidentialised. Each person's or organisation's response to a survey is called a unit record or Microdata.

CURF microdata is the most detailed statistical information available from the ABS. CURFs are used widely by government, universities and private sector researchers and analysts to run statistical queries on the CURF microdata using SAS, SPSS or Stata software. Almost 80 CURF microdata files are available from a wide range of ABS household and labour surveys.

To ensure microdata confidentiality is maintained, ABS requires users to submit signed legal undertakings explaining their proposed statistical use. Applications and undertakings are processed by ABS before access is granted to CURFs in any of the three access modes CD-ROM, Remote Access Data Laboratory (RADL) and ABS Site Data Laboratory (ABSDL).

The CURF web pages on the ABS web site (go to www.abs.gov.au > Services We Provide > CURFs) are your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about ABS Microdata, including what's available, what's coming soon, how CURFs are accessible, how to apply to access CURF microdata, and more. The latest news about CURFs is available in What's New and CURF Newsletters.

For further information contact Grant Mitchell on (02) 6252 5245, email curf.management@abs.gov.au.

Image: Discover CURF Microdata