ABS responds to 'ABS "is wrong on foreign property"' (The Australian, 6 August 2012, pg 2)

In The Australian of 6 August 2012, Nationals leader, The Hon. Warren Truss MP, is reported as saying that the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Agricultural Land and Water Ownership Survey (ALWOS) 2011 was flawed.

The ABS stands by the methodology behind the survey and the resulting estimates. The survey collected information on the level of foreign ownership of agricultural businesses in Australia, agricultural land and water entitlements. ALWOS was a large survey, with a sample of 11,000 agricultural businesses which represented the Australian farming industry. The final response rate for the survey was very good with 92% of businesses which were surveyed returning a completed survey form.

Ian Ewing
Deputy Australian Statistician
Australian Bureau of Statistics