ABS Pricing Policy
Introduction
Pricing Practices Users wanting information or services that are beyond that provided by the Basic Information Set are required to pay relevant costs, including overheads, incurred beyond the costs of collection and production of clean unit record files from which the information is produced. ABS Pricing Policy provides for three bases for setting prices:
ABS Pricing Principles The principles underpinning ABS Pricing Policy are set out below. Principle 1: ABS is committed to open access to official statistics by all levels of governments, and the community generally. Principle 2: ABS will provide free access channels to the Basic Information Set funded by appropriation. Principle 3: The ABS will recover the costs of accessing the Basic Information Set via non-free access channels (e.g. print on demand) on a marginal cost basis. Principle 4: Where cost effective to do so, the ABS will recover the costs of producing and providing information products and services that are additional to the Basic Information Set, including salaries, operating and capital costs and associated overheads, from users. Principle 5: The ABS will recover the costs of products and services provided in addition to the Basic Information Set, on an incremental cost basis for those which only the ABS can provide (e.g. due to confidentiality considerations), and on a commercial cost basis, for those which may compete with products and services provided by other suppliers. Principle 6: The ABS will set its pricing policy, in conformity with Government guidelines on Cost Recovery and Competitive Cost Neutrality, with a view to:
Principle 7: The ABS strongly encourages secondary provision of ABS data. We will recover the cost of creation and provision of customised data dissemination and product creation from on providers of ABS information. The ABS releases most data, including customised data, under the AusGOAL open licensing framework in compliance with Australian Government's commitment to provide open access to Public Sector Information. Principle 8: The ABS provides technical assistance to international agencies and other countries. Wherever possible it will use the applicable AusAID pricing schedule, which approximates charging on a marginal cost basis. Exceptions apply in the following situations:
Principle 9: The Australian Statistician or his delegate may, where public interest issues are involved, decide to charge products and services on other bases. Principle 10: In all cases where costs are recovered, the ABS will charge "efficient costs" i.e. the minimum costs necessary to deliver products and services that are fit for purpose. Principle 11: ABS will use simple and cost effective pricing schedules and administrative systems. Inquiries For further information, submit an online query using the Contact us form. |