Australian Bureau of Statistics

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is Australia's national census and statistical office. It was first called the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, and began on December 8 1905. The Australian Constitution gave the government the power to collect census and statistical information. Since 1975, the person in charge of the ABS has been called the Australian Statistician.

The job of the ABS is to help the Australian government make the right decisions based on the right information. The ABS holds a census every 5 years and collects information about every person in Australia. The last census was held on August 8 2006. Results from the 2006 Census are available on the ABS web site.

Year Book Australia

Every year the ABS makes a book for Australia, called the Year Book Australia. It provides details of the economy and living conditions in Australia.

It also has details about Australia’s geography and climate, government, international relations, defense, education, and the health and welfare systems.

In April 2008, the ABS said it did not have enough money to prepare the 2009 Year Book