ABS spokespeople

The ABS provides expert spokespeople to help explain Australia’s official statistics. They offer clear insights across key topics to support accurate and informed reporting.

All media enquiries and interview requests should be directed to media@abs.gov.au  or 1300 175 070 (8:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday Canberra time).

Dr David Gruen AO was appointed as the Australian Statistician on 11 December 2019. As Agency Head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), he is accountable for the functions and operations of the ABS. David also serves as Head of the Australian Public Service Data Profession, is a director on the board of e61 a non-partisan economic research institute, and Chair of the Sir Roland Wilson Foundation.

David was previously the Deputy Secretary, Economic and Australia's G20 Sherpa at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Before joining the Department in September 2014, he was Executive Director of the Macroeconomic Group at the Australian Treasury.

David joined the Treasury in January 2003, before which he was the Head of the Economic Research Department at the Reserve Bank of Australia from 1998 to 2002. Before joining the Reserve Bank, David worked as a research scientist in the Research School of Physical Sciences at the Australian National University. 

With financial support from a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship, David was visiting lecturer in the Economics Department and the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University from August 1991 to June 1993. He holds PhD degrees in physiology from Cambridge University, England and in economics from the Australian National University.

David was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (General Division) in 2022 for distinguished service to public administration, economic research, business, and education.

Sean has over 20 years’ experience working on official statistics, including time as head of national accounts, and head of survey data collection for the ABS. 

Speak with Sean about:

• Labour Market Statistics
• Labour Force Survey
• Unemployment Rate
• Average Weekly Earnings
• Job Vacancies

Beidar is an expert in population statistics, specialising in population estimates, components of population change, life expectancy and population projections.

Speak with Beidar about:

• National, state and territory population
• Regional population
• Population projections
• Life expectancy and Deaths
• Births and fertility
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population

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