Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

This is an attendance required by a motion in this place for an order for the production of documents. On 17 July the ABS announced it would not release statistics from the 2023-24 Survey of Income and Housing, noting that data did not meet the ABS's high standards for official statistics. Data quality issues were the result of changes to the survey questionnaire, the implementation of new sampling approaches and unanticipated challenges in combining survey and administrative data sources. The ABS will only release statistics that meet rigorous quality standards and made this decision independently of government, consistent with its role as Australia's independent national statistical organisation.

Senator Payman's office was offered a briefing from the Treasurer's office on the decision to not release the 2023-24 Survey of Income and Housing data, which was declined. Additionally, I'm advised that Senator Payman has also been offered a briefing from ABS. We encourage Senator Payman to accept the ABS's offer to brief her office directly on the reasons they cannot comply with her motion to produce documents. The Treasurer has noted to Senator Payman that the ABS published a paper on 12 September 2025 which was released to ensure transparency around the decision not to publish the data, and I'm happy to table a copy of that report as part of this attendance.

With regard to the ABS's advice and position on this matter, the government respects their expertise, their independence and their professionalism. We are confident that Senator Payman would share that respect, should she accept the offer of a direct briefing from ABS on this matter.