Tools ABS uses to support open

data
Matt Berger, Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

• Legislated authority to collect statistical information

• Legislated requirement to publish information, and to ensure that

information is published in a manner that is unlikely to identify any
person or organisation

• Currently around 2.7 million webpages

¾ Historically most information has been
via static pre-defined tables
Current tools for Open Data - Aggregation

• TableBuilder
¾ On line web tool
¾ Allows users to build their own tables from full data sets
¾ Menu driven, with mapping and charting functionality
¾ Export to own PC in CSV, Excel
¾ Confidentiality ensured during delivery of tables
¾ Available for
− 2006 & 2011 Census (Free version!)
− Growing range of social surveys
Š including Australian Health Survey 2011-12
 Current tools for Open Data - Microdata
• Confidentialised Unit Record Files (manual process)
¾ Confidentiality ensured via preparation of CURF
¾ Trade off flexibility for data utility
− More flexible, the less information
− The more information, less flexible
¾ Basic CURFs available on CDs
¾ Analysis on Expanded CURFs available
via remote access (batch process)
− Remote Access Data Lab
¾ On-site ABS data laboratory for high-end users
− ABS approves output for external release
 Future directions
• ABS.Stat (available now!)
¾ Webservice allows development and customisation of aggregate tables
− Menu driven, point and click
− “Pivot table” like functionality
¾ SDMX allows machine to machine transfer
− Embed live ABS data into own applications, ensuring
all data is the latest available
• DataAnalyser (coming soon!)
¾ Webservice allows real time analysis of unit record data
¾ Analysis of full unit record data
¾ Confidentiality ensured via delivery of outputs