Assistant Minister for Treasury, Productivity, Competition and Charities, Dr Andrew Leigh, visited the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday to commend staff for their critical work in underpinning evidence-based policymaking and maintaining public trust in national data.
During a staff address at the ABS headquarters in Belconnen, Dr Leigh – known for his fondness for economics and statistics – offered both warm praise and a generous dose of statistical humour, describing the agency’s work as vital in an era increasingly defined by misinformation.
“Good government begins with good data,” Dr Leigh told employees, noting that the work of the ABS supports everything from macroeconomic management to long-term social policy.
“The CPI, the Wage Price Index, labour force statistics, national accounts – these aren’t just numbers on a page,” he said. “They’re the dials and gauges that guide Australia’s economic engine.”
Dr Leigh highlighted the Bureau’s contributions to policy development in areas such as education, housing, disability, and cultural diversity, stressing that the agency’s data provides the “empirical foundation on which better lives can be built.”
A Shared Affection for Statistics
With characteristic wit, the Assistant Minister acknowledged a shared passion for statistics among the ABS team, describing himself as someone who finds “a well-behaved residual plot oddly soothing” and who has “lost more than one afternoon to a debate about instrument validity.”
“I know I’m among people who’ve said the phrase ‘conditional on observables’ in casual conversation – and meant it,” he said, to laughter from the audience.
Dr Leigh used the occasion to underscore the role of public data in countering disinformation, calling it a “trusted antidote” to the growing volume of oversimplified and often inaccurate content that Australians encounter online.
“That trust isn’t automatic,” he said. “It’s earned through transparency, consistency, and an unwavering commitment to rigour. It’s why ABS releases don’t need a spin cycle.”
Looking Ahead to the Census
Dr Leigh also previewed the significance of the upcoming national Census, calling it a defining project for the agency.
“For most Australians, it’s a one-night event. But for ABS staff, it’s years of methodical preparation that helps define who we are and what services will be needed in the future,” he said.
The 2026 Census, he added, will provide crucial insights into emerging demographic shifts, such as changes in religious affiliation, linguistic diversity, housing stress, and regional population growth.
Commending Leadership at the Helm
In closing, Dr Leigh offered particular praise for Australian Statistician Dr David Gruen, who has led the ABS since December 2019.
“He’s guided the Bureau through a pandemic, adapted to new data sources, strengthened partnerships with researchers and policymakers, and done it all with steadiness, good judgement, and – yes – a dry wit that is very much within the 95 per cent confidence band,” Dr Leigh said.
The Assistant Minister ended his remarks with a final nod to his audience’s statistical acumen:
“If anyone tells you statistics are boring, just smile and say: ‘We tested that hypothesis – it wasn’t statistically significant.’”
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