Chapter 2: Year in Review: 2024–25

During 2024–25, the Minister responsible for the ABS and ASAC was the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury.

The ASAC Annual Report 2023–24 articulated the priorities for 2024–25 as:

1. Advise on the ABS work program under resource constraints.
2. Assist in clarifying ABS roles and responsibilities within an evolving data landscape.
3. Assist in building and maintaining community trust.
4. Advise on opportunities.
5. Monitor and advise on the 2026 Census program.

The Council held three meetings during 2024–25: July 2024, November 2024, and March 2025 (see Appendix 2 for meeting agendas).

ASAC has played a crucial role throughout 2024–25 in supporting the ABS during a period of significant transformation and ongoing challenge

At each ASAC Meeting, the Council receives reports from the Australian Statistician on relevant ABS business. Similarly, Council Members have an opportunity to provide reports to the ABS for consideration and discussion.

At the July 2024 meeting, the Council noted the ABS received significant additional funding in the 2024–25 Budget for initiatives including Big Data, Timely Insights 2, the Life Course Data Initiative, and rephasing and augmenting of the 2026 Census budget. However, the Council noted this additional funding could only be applied to these initiatives and could not address funding challenges facing business-as-usual operations.

At the July meeting, the Council received an update on the Data Acquisition Modernisation Program, including the history and vision for the Program. The Council acknowledged conducting surveys has become increasingly costly and challenging in recent years. Response rates to ABS surveys have been declining, an experience common to national statistical organisations around the world. The Council noted the primary focus for the next six months will be on detailed planning for the next phase of the program. As part of the detailed planning process, the ABS has committed to developing a case for further investment, which will support conversations with the Government on resourcing for the program moving forwards. During the November meeting, the ABS acknowledged funding received as part of the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook to complete the Data Acquisition Modernisation Program.

At the March meeting, the Council discussed the upcoming international updates to the following standards and classification: System of National Accounts 2025 (SNA25); Balance of Payments standard 7 (BPM7); and Industrial Classification. Implementing the changes to SNA25, BPM7 and Industrial Classification is a significant undertaking, at a time when the ABS is already committed to substantial transformation through Big Data, Timely Insights 2 and Data Acquisition Modernisation. The Council discussed the complexity of the changes, the lengthy development window, financial support required and what other national statistical organisations are planning. The Council discussed the level of discretion available in implementing the changes, when funding would be required, and the need for a compelling narrative that should outline how Australia’s industry data must be updated given the changes in the economy over the past 15-20 years. The Council was open to delaying the implementation for two or three years to ensure these updates could be fully implemented rather than staged. State and Territory Members noted the Industrial classification changes should be prioritised.

During 2024–25 the Council received frequent updates on the Life Course Data Initiative (LCDI), noting the ABS will publish statistical outputs from the LCDI on the ABS website in late 2025. Findings from LCDI research projects will be available from 2026. The ABS will also develop and publish a new child-level composite indicator of child well-being, in consultation with expert stakeholders, to be published from 2026. The Council noted that, during 2025, the ABS will engage with all jurisdictions to update them on the progress of the project and seek input on the enablers and blockers in participating in any potential future opportunities.

Community trust remained a central focus throughout 2024–25, with the Council providing guidance as the ABS responded to statistical errors and implemented enhanced quality management processes. 

At the November meeting, the ABS reported errors in estimates of the Child Care Subsidy impact. As detailed in a media statement released on 19 November 2025, corrections were made to the October 2024 Monthly CPI indicator and December quarter 2024 CPI to ensure policymakers and the public received accurate information about child care pricing dynamics.

The Council received a detailed briefing at the March meeting on the ABS's comprehensive response to recent statistical errors, including the release of a Process Quality Management Toolbox in February 2025. The Council welcomed the commencement of Independent Process Quality Reviews, starting with the Labour Force Survey. The Council discussed the cultural shift required to implement these processes, the importance of having quality checks for both processes and outputs, and the benefits of the Independent Process Quality Reviews.

At the March meeting, the Council was updated on the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred on the Monthly Population Survey, with the ABS demonstrating proactive monitoring and quality assurance approaches to maintain high-quality Labour Force statistics.

At the March meeting, the Australian Statistician outlined the error in enrolment projections data that the ABS supplied to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) for use in the redistributions of electoral boundaries in Victoria and Western Australia. The error was corrected, and new data supplied quickly, with the AEC confirming that the redistribution process continued with its planned timetable.

The Council noted the Australian Statistician commissioned former Australian Statistician Dennis Trewin AO to undertake a review to examine ABS processes to reduce the possibility of similar errors occurring in the release of ABS statistics and to advise of potential areas of risk in current processes.

Mr Trewin’s review, which was published on the ABS website, made several recommendations specific to the enrolment projections process as well as some general lessons to strengthen and reinforce the importance of quality managements arrangements within ABS. These findings will be combined with those from an internal audit of statistical quality gates which the ABS had commissioned before this incident.

The Council requested an update be provided at a future meeting to understand the actions being undertaken to maintain users’ trust and confidence in ABS outputs.

During 2024–25 the Council advised the ABS on emerging statistical challenges and opportunities across the jurisdictions and sectors represented. The Council noted the importance of data to inform state and territory priorities, such as housing.

The Council received regular updates on the Retail Trade replacement project throughout 2024–25. Enhancements to the Monthly Household Spending Indicator have enabled the ABS to cease the Retail Trade publication on 31 July 2025 (referencing the June 2025 period), providing users with a more comprehensive view of household consumption and eliminating the need for businesses to respond to the Retail Business Survey.

At the July meeting, the ABS showcased the Whole of Australian Government Coding Service, which was released for government use in June 2025 and will be used for the 2026 Census. The Council discussed opportunities across government for using the coder and what additional value could be delivered by the addition of functionality to the service.

At the March meeting, the Council was briefed on the significant success of the data integration program, with 427 active projects in the DataLab and over 2,000 current users, indicating these ABS services are operating at scale. The Council discussed ongoing challenges the ABS is trying to address, such as improved access, holdings of integrated data for researchers and the financial position of the program. The Council was complimentary of the ABS’s data integration program, which provides an excellent resource for government and the broader community.

The 2026 Census remained a critical focus, with the Council providing ongoing advice as the Census Program navigates topic decisions, privacy assessments, and operational preparations.

At the July meeting, the Council noted the ABS had made recommendations to Government on Census content changes and timing, with the timeline requiring tight decision-making due to the upcoming Federal election. 

The Council was informed at the November meeting that the Government had decided Census topics, with the new topic on sexual orientation and gender aligning with ABS recommendations. The ABS also explained to the Council its decision to cancel the planned Census Test in September 2024, and how it will adjust testing plans to prepare for a successful Census. 

The Council was also briefed on the privacy-by-design approach for the 2026 Census, with the Phase 2 Privacy Impact Assessment completed by Information Integrity Solutions and published on the ABS website in December 2024.

At the March meeting, the Council noted the outcomes of the 2026 Census topic review, which were published on the ABS website in February 2025, with the Australian Government successfully tabling amendments to the Census and Statistics Regulation 2016.

The Council also noted that the Census Program will conduct a large-scale, public-facing Operational Readiness Exercise for the Census in August 2025, which will provide critical evidence of Census staff and vendor readiness for 2026, through the comprehensive testing of almost all Census systems and processes.

The Council was also informed at the March meeting that final questions for the 2026 Census will be published on the ABS website in late 2025. This will allow time to make minor refinements to the wording of questions following the Census Test, if required.