Performance Measures and Targets

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ABS Corporate Plan
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Reference period
2022-23 financial year
Released
30/08/2022
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  • Performance measures meet the requirements of section 16EA of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014.
  • Performance measures have been adopted for Priorities One to Four only. Measures of Priority Five are inherently input-focused and are therefore monitored internally by the business.
  • Targets have been provided for each performance measure where it is reasonable to do so.
     

Priority 1: Produce high quality statistics

1.1 Trust in ABS statistics - level of trust in the ABS and its statistics
MethodTargetsYears
measured
Community Trust in ABS Statistics Survey (CTASS)At least 85% level of trust in the ABS and ABS statistics2024-25
Number of statistics released free of significant errors¹100% of statistics are released free of significant errors2022–23 to 2025–26
1.2 International compliance - ABS statistics meet the standards for National and International Accounts, Labour Force, Unemployment, Consumer Price Index, and Estimated Resident Population
MethodTargetYears measured
Compliance with International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS)²		IMF assess ABS to be 100% compliant with SDDS for in-scope collections2022–23 to 2025–26

1.3 Conduct the Census³ - implementation of the Census to deliver trusted data⁴ 

MethodTargetsYears measured
Release of the first statistics from the 2021 Census within 12 months of Census nightFirst release of Census data occurs before 10 August 20222022–23
Complete public consultation on 2026 Census topicsPublish 2026 Census Topic Directions2023–24
Finalise 2026 Census topicsRegulations are updated to define Census topics2024–25
Successful completion of the 2026 Census test in 20252025 Census test is completed and the evaluation report is agreed and accepted by the 2026 Census governance forum2025-26

Priority 2: Generate timely new insights

2.1 Stakeholder needs are met - new statistics or insights are used to inform priority policy or decisions
MethodCase studies⁵Year measured⁶

Case studies showing how new statistics or insights are used by clients
 

  1. Assessment of the benefits to business and governments of capturing changes in the Australian labour market by updating the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).
  2. Assessment of the benefits for various stakeholders of using administrative datasets to produce a monthly Consumer Price Index indicator.
2022–23

Priority 3: Exercise leadership in the data landscape

3.1 Access to ABS data and statistics - access to data products and services
MethodTargets⁷Years measured

Composite index of channel access:

  • Calls to API service
  • Number of DataLab sessions
  • Invoices for customised data services
  • Count of ABS website sessions
  • Registered users of TableBuilder

106

108
111
114

2022–23

2023–24
2024–25
2025–26

3.2 Delivery of data peer learning opportunities to APS employees⁸
MethodTargetsYears measured

Number of peer learning offerings delivered through, for example,
specialist speaker series, Data Profession Technical Fora and
other data profession engagements

No target - benchmarking year

5 percent increase on benchmark
5 percent increase on benchmark
5 percent increase on benchmark

2022–23

2023–24
2024–25
2025–26

Priority 4: Reduce burden on data providers

4.1 Efficiency of statistical operations - improve efficiency with which data is collected
MethodCase studiesYear measured⁹

Case studies showing efficiencies made in collecting data for statistical purposes

  1. New ways of reporting to significantly reduce burden for small and medium businesses.
  2. Feasibility of establishing a national crime and justice data asset and reporting system.
2022–23
4.2 Burden on survey respondents - time taken to complete business surveys
MethodTargets¹⁰Years measured
Total time taken for survey respondents to complete business surveys6.5 percent decrease on benchmark2022–23
  13 percent decrease on benchmark2023–24
  20 percent decrease on benchmark2024–25
  25 percent decrease on benchmark2025–26

Footnotes

1. An error is significant if it could mislead a user as to the value of a statistical indicator of national or state importance.

2. https://dsbb.imf.org/sdds

3. Each Census is implemented over a five-year period and as such, targets for this measure change each year to reflect the major phases of Census. Targets relevant to the years covered by this Plan are included here.

4. Quality and trust measures were included in the ABS Corporate Plan 2021-22 and reported in the ABS Annual Report 2021-22. The 2021 Census achieved a response rate of 96.1% and nearly 80% of respondents expressed support through an independent survey of user sentiment towards the 2021 Census.

5. The ABS uses case studies based on Tier 1 (Significant Projects) and seeks to prioritise case study selection of those projects with a high likelihood of completion in the reporting period.

6. Case study topics listed for this measure are reported against for only the first year covered by this Plan i.e. 2022–23. Each year, new case studies are selected for reporting against this measure.

7. Based on a benchmark value in 2020–21 of 100.

8. The ABS is no longer delivering data leadership training for APS SES officers and so the previous measure of attendance by SES at data leadership training has not been retained as a measure from 2022–23. The APS Academy is delivering this training.

9. Case study topics listed for this measure are reported against for only the first year covered by this Plan i.e. 2022–23. Each year, new case studies are selected for reporting against this measure.

10. Based on a benchmark value of 338,964 hours from 2020–21.