Strategic Planning for Statistics in Australia

1
Strategic Planning for Statistics in Australia

• PARIS21/UNESCAP Forum on Strategic Planning for
  Statistics in South-East Asian Countries
  Bangkok, June 2006
• Geoff NeideckDirector, Corporate
  PlanningAustralian Bureau of Statistics

2
Outline

• Interactions with Government and Users
• Environmental scanning
• Establishing user needs
• Government funding processes
• ABS Internal Planning
• Planning cycle
• Corporate Plan, Financial Plan, Forward Work
  Program

3
Environmental Scanning

• Political priorities
• Emerging economic and social issues
• Community, academic, private sector
• International developments

4
Determining User Needs

• Australian Statistical Advisory Council
• Bilateral meetings
• Statistics user groups
• Outposted officers
• Information development plans
• Assessing level of support for new work,
  particularly funding

5
Australian Statistical Advisory Committee (ASAC)

• Provides advice to the Minister and Australian
  Statistician
• Membership from government, business, academia,
  community
• Advise on
• Improvements to the Australian statistical
  service
• Long term priorities and work program for the ABS

6
Formal Interactions with Government

• ABS is in the Treasury portfolio
• Australian Statistician and ASAC report to
  parliament
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer is the
  responsible minister
• Government liaison unit

7
Obtaining Government Support

• Involvement in government forums
• Early involvement in policy development is
  preferable
• Garnering support from other agencies
• Building case with central agencies, particularly
  Treasury

8
Understand government funding processes

• What are the formal budget processes?
• Have an agreed understanding of what the agency
  is funded for (core funding)
• What are the opportunities for funding from other
  sources
• Other government agencies
• International/donors

9
Funding from other sources

• Funder may attach conditions
• What impact will conditions have on organisations
  ability to determine its future directions?
• Will it compromise national priorities?
• Need to retain adherence to statistical best
  practice
• Potential to divert resources highly skilled
  staff from core work

10
Criteria for Assessing User Needs

• Essential criteria
• Is it consistent with ABS mission and core role?
• Is there a contemporary public policy need?
• Is the solution fit for purpose?
• Do we have the capacity to do the work? (e.g.
  funds, skilled staff)

11
Criteria for Assessing User Needs

• Criteria for prioritising competing bids
• How important is the issue and to whom?
• What are the risks and opportunities?
• Budget risks
• Funding support
• Technology requirements
• Does the activity build long-term capability?

12
ABS Planning Cycle - Overview
Environmental scanning
Corporate Plan/Strategic Directions
User input
Management Meeting
May
New spending proposals
July-Aug
Management Meeting
September
April
Final Decisions on Proposals
Forward Work Program
13
ABS Corporate Plan - Overview

• ABS Mission Statement
• Objectives
• Values and People
• Strategies
• Performance measures

14
ABS Corporate Plan - Objectives

• An expanded and improved national statistical
  service
• ABS services that are timely, relevant,
  responsive and respected for their integrity and
  quality
• Informed and increased use of statistics
• A key contributor to international statistical
  activities that are important to Australia or our
  region

15
ABS Corporate Plan - Objectives

• An organisation that builds capability to
  continually improve its effectiveness
• The trust and cooperation of providers
• ABS is a respected and strongly supported
  organisation

16
ABS Planning Cycle Key Principles

• Link to Government budget cycle
• Flexibility to respond to emerging issues
• Key decision-making points
• External views

17
ABS Planning Cycle Key Elements

• Environmental scanning
• Strategic directions
• Bid list
• Funding options
• Bid decisions
• Forward work program

18
Financial Plan

• Revenue
• Government appropriation
• sale of goods and services
• Operating budget surplus/deficit
• Capital plan
• property plan (9 offices)
• asset management
• Cash management

19
Forward Work Program

• Overview of the ABS
• How the ABS makes decisions
• How the ABS operates
• ABS strategic directions
• Information on each program(e.g. national
  accounts, labour, health)
• Objectives
• Outputs
• Developments

20
Strategy and Process Improvement

• Internal audits
• Reviews
• Customer feedback
• Project Management Framework

21
What ABS can do to assist countries in the region

• Provide documentation planning processes,
  statistical frameworks, etc.
• Host study tours
• Provide in country capacity building assistance -
  limited resources, in line with Aust. Government
  priorities