Australian Bureau of Statistics
ABS
1974 – present
Previously Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics (1905–1974).
Australia's national statistical agency, headed by the Australian Statistician, which conducts the five-yearly Census of Population and Housing and produces official statistics on the economy, population, society and environment.
Names over time
- Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics1905–1974
- Australian Bureau of Statistics1974–present
How it came into existence
The Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics was renamed the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 1974. The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 then established it as a statutory authority headed by the Australian Statistician, with an Australian Statistics Advisory Council to advise on statistical priorities.
Legislation: Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975; Census and Statistics Act 1905
Changes during its life
- 1975The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 made the ABS a statutory authority headed by the Australian Statistician and created the Australian Statistics Advisory Council.
Main functions
- Census of Population and Housing
- National accounts, prices, labour force and trade statistics
- Population, social and environmental statistics
- Coordination of official statistics across governments
- Statistical standards and classifications
- Access to statistical microdata for research
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of the Treasury.
- Type of body
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Treasury
- Accountable authority
- Statistician – Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 section 5(5)(b)
- ABN
- 26 331 428 522
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))