AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975
- Updated as at 30 November 1996 (#DATE 30:11:1996)
*1*The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 as shown in this reprint
comprises Act No. 60, 1975 amended as indicated in the Tables below.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 was modified by the A.C.T.
Self-Government (Consequential Provisions) Regulations as amended. (See Note 2)
Table of Acts
Act
Number Date Date of Application,
and year of Assent commencement saving or
transitional
provisions
Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975
60, 1975 19 June 3 May 1976 (see Gazette 1976,
1975 No. S23)
Census and Statistics Amendment Act 1977
15, 1977 28 Feb 1977 28 Feb 1977 (see s. 2) S. 9
Public Service Reform Act 1984
63, 1984 25 June S. 151 (1): 1 July 1984 (see S. 151 (9)
1984 Gazette 1984, No. S245) (a)
Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1985
65, 1985 5 June 1985 S. 3: 3 July 1985 (b) -
Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1987
141, 1987 18 Dec 1987 S. 3: Royal Assent (c) Ss. 5 (1)
and (5)
Statute Law Revision Act 1996
43, 1996 25 Oct 1996 Schedule 4 (items 18, 19): Royal Assent (d)
-
(a) The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 was amended by subsection
151 (1) only of the Public Service Reform Act 1984, subsection 2 (4) of which
provides as follows:
'(4) The remaining provisions of this Act shall come into operation on such
day as is, or on such respective days as are, fixed by Proclamation.'
(b) The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 was amended by section 3
only of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1985,
subsection 2 (1) of which provides as follows:
'(1) Subject to this section, this Act shall come into operation on the
twenty-eighth day after the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.'
(c) The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 was amended by section 3
only of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1987, subsection 2 (1)
of which provides as follows:
'(1) Subject to this section, this Act shall come into operation on the day
on which it receives the Royal Assent.'
(d) The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 was amended by Schedule 4
(items18, 19) only of the Statute Law Revision Act 1996, subsection 2 (1) of which
provides as follows:
"(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), this Act commences on the day on which
it receives the Royal Assent."
Table of Amendments
ad.=added or inserted am.=amended rep.=repealed rs.=repealed and substituted
Provision affected
How affected
Ss. 3-8
am. No. 141, 1987
S. 9
am. No. 141, 1987; No. 43, 1996
S. 11
rs. No. 141, 1987
S. 12
am. No. 141, 1987
S. 13
rep. 65, 1985
S. 14
rep. No. 141, 1987
S. 15
am. No. 15, 1977; No. 141, 1987
S. 16
am. No. 63, 1984; No. 141, 1987
Ss. 19-20
am. No. 141, 1987
S. 21
am. No. 141, 1987; No. 43, 1996
S. 22
am. No. 141, 1987
S. 23
rep. No. 141, 1987
S. 24
am. No. 141, 1987
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - TABLE OF PROVISIONS
TABLE
TABLE OF PROVISIONS
Section
PART I-PRELIMINARY
1. Short title
2. Commencement
3. Interpretation
4. Australian Statistician to have functions etc. of Commonwealth
Statistician
PART II-AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS AND AUSTRALIAN STATISTICIAN
5. Establishment of Bureau and office of Statistician
6. Functions of Bureau
7. Appointment and tenure of office of Statistician
8. Statistician not to undertake any other work
9. Remuneration and allowances
10. Leave of absence
11. Resignation
12. Removal from office
15. Acting appointments
16. Staff
PART III-AUSTRALIAN STATISTICS ADVISORY COUNCIL
17. Establishment of Council
18. Functions of Council
19. Membership of Council
20. Resignation and removal of members
21. Remuneration of members
22. Meetings
PART IV-MISCELLANEOUS
24. Annual reports
25. Regulations
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - LONG TITLE
SECT
An Act to establish an Australian Bureau of Statistics and
for related Purposes
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - PART I
PART I-PRELIMINARY
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 1
Short title
SECT
1. This Act may be cited as the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975.*1*
SEE NOTES TO FIRST ARTICLE OF THIS CHAPTER .
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 2
Commencement
SECT
2. This Act shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by
Proclamation.*1*
SEE NOTES TO FIRST ARTICLE OF THIS CHAPTER .
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 3
Interpretation
SECT
3. (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:
'Bureau' means the Australian Bureau of Statistics established by subsection
5 (1);
'Chairperson' means the Chairperson of the Council holding office under
subsection 19 (2);
'Council' means the Australian Statistics Advisory Council established by
section 17;
'member' means a member of the Council;
'Statistician' means the Australian Statistician referred to in subsection 5
(2).
(2) The Chairperson may be referred to as the Chairman or Chairwoman, as the
case requires.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 4
Australian Statistician to have functions etc. of Commonwealth Statistician
SECT
4. (2) After the commencement of this Act:
(a) the Australian Statistician shall:
(i) have the functions, powers and duties expressed by any Act, or by
any regulations or other instrument made under any Act, to be conferred or
imposed on the Commonwealth Statistician; and
(ii) have the functions and powers expressed by a law of a
Territory, or by any regulations or other instrument made under such a law, to be
conferred on the Commonwealth Statistician; and
(b) a reference in any Act, in any law of a Territory, or in an instrument
under any Act or law of a Territory, to the Commonwealth Statistician shall
have effect as if the office of Australian Statistician were a continuation of
the office of the Commonwealth Statistician.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - PART II
PART II-AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS AND AUSTRALIAN STATISTICIAN
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 5
Establishment of Bureau and office of Statistician
SECT
5. (1) There is hereby established a Bureau to be known as the Australian
Bureau of Statistics.
(2) There shall be an Australian Statistician.
(3) The Bureau shall consist of the Statistician and the staff referred to
in subsection 16 (1).
(4) The Statistician shall control the operations of the Bureau and shall
have such other functions, powers and duties as are conferred or imposed upon
the Statistician by or under any Act and such other functions and powers as
are conferred upon the Statistician by or under any law of a Territory.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 6
Functions of Bureau
SECT
6. (1) The functions of the Bureau are as follows:
(a) to constitute the central statistical authority for the Australian
Government and, by arrangements with the Governments of the States, provide
statistical services for those Governments;
(b) to collect, compile, analyse and disseminate statistics and related
information;
(c) to ensure co-ordination of the operations of official bodies in the
collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics and related
information, with particular regard to:
(i) the avoidance of duplication in the collection by official bodies
of information for statistical purposes;
(ii) the attainment of compatibility between, and the integration of,
statistics compiled by official bodies; and
(iii) the maximum possible utilization, for statistical purposes, of
information, and means of collection of information, available to official
bodies;
(d) to formulate, and ensure compliance with, standards for the carrying out
by official bodies of operations for statistical purposes;
(e) to provide advice and assistance to official bodies in relation to
statistics; and
(f) to provide liaison between Australia, on the one hand, and other
countries and international organizations, on the other hand, in relation to
statistical matters.
(2) For the purpose of the performance of its functions and for the purpose
of co-ordinating statistical activities and securing the observance of
statistical standards, the Bureau may collaborate with bodies, being
Departments and authorities of the States, the Administrations and authorities
of the external Territories and local governing bodies, in the collection,
compilation, analysis and dissemination of statistics, including statistics
obtained from the records of those bodies.
(3) Subject to subsection (4), each new proposal for the collection of
information for statistical purposes by the Bureau shall be laid before both
Houses of the Parliament before its implementation, unless the proposal is for
the collection of information on a voluntary basis.
(4) Where, in relation to a proposal to which subsection (3) is applicable,
being a proposal for the collection of information relating to businesses, the
Minister considers it necessary to commence implementation of the proposal at
a time when it is not practicable to comply with subsection (3) the Minister
may authorize the implementation of the proposal without compliance with that
subsection but in such a case particulars of the nature of the information to
which the authorization relates shall be laid before each House of the
Parliament within 5 sitting days of that House after the giving of the
authorization.
(5) For the purposes of this section:
(a) a reference to statistical purposes shall be read as including purposes
in connexion with the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of
statistics; and
(b) a reference to an official body shall be read as a reference to:
(i) a Department of the Australian Public Service;
(ii) the holder of an office established for a public purpose by or
under an Act or a law of an internal Territory; or
(iii) a body corporate, or other body, established for a public
purpose by or under an Act or a law of an internal Territory other than such a
body corporate, or other body, that is declared by the regulations not to be
an official body for the purposes of this Act.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 7
Appointment and tenure of office of Statistician
SECT
7. (1) The Statistician shall be appointed by the Governor-General and,
subject to this Act, holds office for such period, not exceeding 7 years, as
is specified in the instrument of his or her appointment but is eligible for
re-appointment.
(2) A person who has attained the age of 65 years shall not be appointed or
re-appointed as the Statistician and a person shall not be appointed or
re-appointed as the Statistician for a period that extends beyond the date on
which the person will attain the age of 65 years.
(3) The Statistician holds office on such terms and conditions (if any) in
respect of matters not provided for by this Act as are determined by the
Governor-General.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 8
Statistician not to undertake any other work
SECT
8. The Statistician shall not engage in paid employment outside the duties
of his or her office except with the approval of the Minister.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 9
Remuneration and allowances
SECT
9. (1) The Statistician shall be paid such remuneration as is determined by
the Remuneration Tribunal, but, if no determination of that remuneration by
the Tribunal is in operation, the Statistician shall be paid such remuneration
as is prescribed.
(2) The Statistician shall be paid such allowances as are prescribed.
(3) This section has effect subject to the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 10
Leave of absence
SECT
10. The Minister may grant leave of absence to the Statistician upon such
terms and conditions as to remuneration or otherwise as the Minister
determines.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 11
Resignation
SECT
11. The Statistician may resign his or her office by writing signed by the
Statistician and delivered to the Governor-General.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 12
Removal from office
SECT
12. (1) The Governor-General may remove the Statistician from office on an
address praying for his or her removal on the ground of misbehaviour or
incapacity being presented to the Governor-General by each House of the
Parliament in the same session of the Parliament.
(2) The Governor-General may suspend the Statistician from office on the
ground of misbehaviour or incapacity.
(3) Where the Governor-General suspends the Statistician from office, the
Minister shall cause a statement of the ground of the suspension to be laid
before each House of the Parliament within 7 sitting days of that House after
the suspension.
(4) Where such a statement has been laid before a House of the Parliament,
that House may, within 15 sitting days of that House after the day on which
the statement has been laid before it, by resolution, declare that the
Statistician should be removed from office and, if each House so passes such a
resolution, the Governor-General shall remove the Statistician from office.
(5) If, at the expiration of 15 sitting days of a House of the Parliament
after the day on which the statement has been laid before that House, that
House has not passed such a resolution, the suspension terminates.
(6) The suspension of the Statistician from office under this section does
not affect any entitlement of the Statistician to be paid remuneration and
allowances.
(7) If the Statistician becomes bankrupt, applies to take the benefit of any
law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors, compounds with his or her
creditors or makes an assignment of his or her remuneration for their benefit,
the Governor-General shall remove the Statistician from office.
(8) The Governor-General may, with the consent of the Statistician, retire
the Statistician from office on the ground of incapacity.
(9) The Statistician shall not be removed or suspended from office except as
provided by this section.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 15
Acting appointments
SECT
15. (1) The Governor-General may appoint a person to act in the office of
Statistician during any period, or during all periods, when the person holding
the office is absent from duty or from Australia or is, for any reason, unable
to perform the duties of his or her office or during a vacancy in that office,
but a person so appointed to act during a vacancy shall not continue so to act
for more than 12 months.
(2) The Governor-General may:
(a) determine the terms and conditions of appointment of a person
appointed
under this section; and
(b) at any time terminate such an appointment.
(3) Where a person is acting in the office of Statistician in pursuance of
an appointment under this section otherwise than during a vacancy in that
office and the office becomes vacant while that person is so acting, that
person may continue to act in the office until the Governor-General otherwise
directs, the vacancy is filled or a period of 12 months from the date on which
the vacancy occurred expires, whichever first happens.
(4) Sections 10 and 11 apply in relation to a person appointed under this
section in like manner as they apply in relation to the Statistician.
(5) While a person is acting in the office of Statistician in pursuance of
an appointment under this section, the person has all the functions, powers
and duties of the Statistician under this Act or any other law.
(6) The validity of anything done by a person appointed under this section
shall not be called in question on the ground that the occasion for the
appointment had not arisen or that the appointment had ceased to have effect.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 16
Staff
SECT
16. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the staff required for the purposes of
the Bureau shall be persons appointed or employed under, or whose services are
made available in accordance with arrangements made under, the Public Service
Act 1922.
(2) Subject to subsection (2A), the Statistician may engage persons,
including persons referred to in subsection (1), to assist in carrying out the
functions of the Bureau.
(2A) Persons referred to in subsection (1) may be engaged under subsection
(2) only in relation to:
(a) the taking of the Census mentioned in the Census and Statistics Act
1905; and
(b) the collection of other statistics and related information.
(3) The terms and conditions of employment of persons engaged as mentioned
in subsection (2) (including persons employed at the commencement of this Act)
shall be such as are, with the approval of the Public Service Board,
determined by the Statistician.
(4) The Statistician has all the powers of, or exercisable by, a Secretary
under the Public Service Act 1922 so far as those powers relate to the branch
of the Australian Public Service comprising the staff referred to in
subsection (1) as if that branch were a separate Department of the Australian
Public Service.
(5) For the purposes of section 26 of the Public Service Act 1922, the
Statistician shall be deemed to be a Secretary.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - PART III
PART III-AUSTRALIAN STATISTICS ADVISORY COUNCIL
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 17
Establishment of Council
SECT
17. There is hereby established a Council to be known as the Australian
Statistics Advisory Council.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 18
Functions of Council
SECT
18. (1) The functions of the Council are to advise the Minister and the
Statistician in relation to:
(a) the improvement, extension and co-ordination of statistical services
provided for public purposes in Australia;
(b) annual and longer term priorities and programs of work that should be
adopted in relation to major aspects of the provision of those statistical
services; and
(c) any other matters relating generally to those statistical services.
(2) Either the Minister or the Statistician, or both of them, may refer
matters of the kind referred to in subsection (1) to the Council for the
purpose of seeking the advice of the Council in relation to those matters.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 19
Membership of Council
SECT
19.*2* (1) The Council shall consist of:
(a) the Chairperson;
(b) the Statistician; and
(c) such other members, being not less than 10 and not more than 22 in
number, as the Minister determines.
(2) The Chairperson and the members referred to in paragraph (1) (c) shall
be appointed by the Minister as part-time members, and shall hold office,
subject to this Act:
(a) in the case of the Chairperson-for a period of 5 years; and
(b) in the case of each other member-for such period, not exceeding 3
years,
as is specified in his or her instrument of appointment;
but are eligible for re-appointment.
(3) If the Premier of a State or the Chief Minister of the Northern
Territory nominates a person for appointment to the Council, the Minister
shall appoint that person as one of the members referred to in paragraph (1)
(c) unless the Council already includes a member appointed on the nomination
of the Premier of that State or the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory,
as the case may be.
*2*S. 19 (3)-The Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 was modified by
regulation 2 and Schedule 1 of the A.C.T. Self-Government (Consequential
Provisions) Regulations as amended.
The provision of Schedule 1 applicable to the above mentioned Act quoted
below is not incorporated in this reprint.
"Subsection 19 (3):
(a) after 'Chief Minister' (first occurring) insert
'of the Australian Capital Territory or';
(b) omit 'the Northern Territory' (second occurring), substitute
'that Territory'."
Regulation 1 of the A.C.T. Self-Government (Consequential Provisions)
Regulations as amended provides as follows:
"1. These Regulations are to be taken to have commenced on 11 May 1989."
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 20
Resignation and removal of members
SECT
20.(1) A member may resign his or her office by writing signed by the member
and delivered to the Minister.
(2) The Minister may remove a member from office for misbehaviour or
physical or mental incapacity.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 21
Remuneration of members
SECT
21. (1) A member of the Council shall be paid such remuneration as is
determined by the Remuneration Tribunal, but, if no determination of that
remuneration by the Tribunal is in operation, the member shall be paid such
remuneration as is prescribed.
(2) A member of the Council shall be paid such allowances as are
prescribed.
(3) This section has effect subject to the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 22
Meetings
SECT
22. (1) The Council shall hold such meetings as are necessary for the
performance of its functions, and shall meet at least once in every calendar
year.
(2) The meetings of the Council may be convened by the Chairperson or by the
Minister.
(3) At a meeting of the Council, a quorum is constituted by one-third of the
members for the time being holding office.
(4) The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Council at which
the Chairperson is present.
(5) If the Chairperson is not present at a meeting of the Council, the
members present shall elect one of their number to preside at the meeting.
(6) Questions arising at a meeting of the Council shall be determined by a
majority of the votes of the members present and voting.
(7) The member presiding at a meeting of the Council has a deliberative vote
and, in the event of an equality of votes, also has a casting vote.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - PART IV
PART IV-MISCELLANEOUS
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 24
Annual reports
SECT
24. (1) The Statistician shall, as soon as practicable after 30 June in each
year, prepare and submit to the Minister, for presentation to the Parliament,
a report on the operations of the Bureau during the period of 12 months that
ended on that date.
(2) The Council shall, as soon as practicable after 30 June in each year,
prepare and submit to the Minister, for presentation to the Parliament, a
report relating to matters connected with the operation of this Act.
(3) The Minister shall cause each of the reports referred to in subsections
(1) and (2) to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting
days of that House after its receipt by the Minister.
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ACT 1975 - SECT 25
Regulations
SECT
25. The Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this
Act, prescribing all matters required or permitted by this Act to be
prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or
giving effect to this Act.