ABS Corporate Plan

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has been the nation’s source of independent, reliable data and insights for more than 120 years. We tell the story of Australia, its economy, its people, and the trends shaping our future. In a world with troubling levels of mis and disinformation, we defend the integrity, independence and quality of statistics we produce. These principles are important for the people, businesses and governments that look to the ABS to provide trusted information on which to base important decisions. 

Over the four years covered by this Corporate Plan, the ABS will: 

• continue to deliver the nation’s key economic, social, business, population and environmental indicators, including the 19th Census of Population and Housing
• adapt and modernise how we operate to deliver these insights
• partner with agencies across government to provide needed data and enhance shared data infrastructure
• strengthen and grow our integrated data assets, and 
• help raise data capability across the Australian Public Service. 

Australians expect to interact with government via digital channels that are easy, quick and safe to use. We are responding to these expectations by updating how we collect, analyse and share data. Through our modernisation programs, we are strengthening the ABS’s statistical and data infrastructure. These investments are enabling faster, more detailed and relevant insights, and delivering systems that are more efficient, agile, and secure. We have begun shaping the next phase of our modernisation program, which will build on our new platforms and capabilities delivered through recent investments by the Australian Government, and includes the adoption of updated international standards and Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

We continue to enhance our integrated data assets, improving access, and ensuring they remain safe, secure and trusted. The Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA) and the Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE) are increasingly being accessed to generate the empirical evidence on which policy can be based across a wide range of topics including the economy, labour market, education pathways, health outcomes and social wellbeing. 

Through the APS Data Profession, we continue to help raise data skills across government and support a more professional, confident and capable APS workforce by enhancing training and building communities of practice. This work strengthens the foundations for data-driven government decision making and helps Australia harness the full value of its data.

As the accountable authority of the ABS, I am pleased to present the ABS Corporate Plan 2026–27, which covers the financial years 2026–27 to 2029–30, in accordance with section 35(1)(b) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act). As our primary planning document, it gives an overview of ABS’ operating environment, key priorities, challenges, activities, statistical outputs and how we will measure our success. 

I look forward to reporting to the Australian Parliament and the public on our performance in delivering on this Plan in the ABS Annual Report 2026–27. 

Dr David Gruen AO 
Australian Statistician

The diagram presents a schematic view of how the ABS delivers its key activities. It shows how the ABS’s purpose and intended outcome are achieved through key activities, supported by a modernisation agenda and enterprise capability shifts. These elements operate within the organisation’s operating environment and risk settings and are underpinned by capability and performance measures.