ABS Consultation Hub

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) commenced public consultation on 29 August 2022. The consultation requested feedback on the Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups (ASCRG) and the Religious Affiliation Standard (RAS), the way the religion question is asked in the Census of Population and Housing.

The aim of the review is to update the ASCRG to reflect the modern Australian community; and ensure the RAS is inclusive. These updates will ensure collection and production of high quality data, improving data analysis and decision making. The public consultation was to confirm the scope of the review and invite feedback to identify any other high priority considerations for the review.

Public consultation ran for 12 weeks, 29 August 2022 till 18 November 2022. The ABS sought feedback on the preliminary scope of the review (below) and requested other issues also be identified.

2022 Review of ASCRG and RAS, preliminary scope:

1. Investigation of the RAS – question wording and pick list
   a. Can the response options be changed to be more inclusive?
   b. Consistency between the question wording (refers to a person’s religion) and the pick list options (a combination of religions and Christian denominations).
2. Investigation into Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism; and whether it is possible to identify additional religious groups.
3. Investigation into how Christian Orthodox groups appear in the ASCRG and the RAS.
4. Investigation into a possible restructure of the classification codes.
5. Investigation into the structure of Broad Group 7, Secular Beliefs and Other Spiritual Beliefs and No Religious Affiliation. Should secular beliefs continue to be included in a classification of religious groups?

For more detailed information on the scope, please refer to 2022 ASCRG and RAS Review Scope v1.0, attached below.

This public consultation generated 193 submissions from a range of individuals and organisations.

Most of the items in the preliminary scope were broadly supported for inclusion in the review. The topics in the preliminary scope that attracted the most submissions were the pick list (content and order of the list) and question wording (scope items 1a and 1b).

In addition to the issues outlined in the scope, a number of other concerns were raised, including:

• Concerns around data quality, due to the limited number of options in the pick list.
• Concerns about potential bias in the question wording because it assumes a person is affiliated with a religion.
• The importance of including the concepts underpinning the classification (e.g. ‘affiliation’) in the review.
• Some confusion regarding the 2021 census advertising campaign, as it related to religion.

Other suggestions included:

• Recommendations for groups to be added to the pick list in the question, or the classification (ASCRG) itself.
• Suggestions for how religion data could be better presented in the future.

The ABS is currently reviewing these submissions and working closely with stakeholders to draft changes to the RAS and ASCRG. The proposed changes to ASCRG and supporting information will be presented via the ABS Consultation Hub in mid-2023. Stakeholders can again provide feedback before the final update is published in December 2023.

Any changes for the RAS, that come from this review, will require further testing. Testing will be undertaken during the 2026 Census design process in the lead up to the 2026 Census. However, proposed RAS changes will be available for comment in mid-2023 through the planned ASCRG public consultation but the final outcome will be published after 2026 Census testing is completed.

Submissions that included relevant feedback for 2026 Census Content development and design will be provided to the 2026 Census Content team, stakeholders do not need to provide their submission again.

Future consultation

The next round of public consultation on the proposed changes to the ASCRG and RAS is expected to be conducted in mid-2023. However if you would like to provide feedback before then, please contact the ABS at standards@abs.gov.au

2026 Census Content consultation is planned for the first half of 2023.  If your submission to this scope of the ASCRG and RAS review is relevant to the Census Content consultation too, it will be provided to the 2026 Census Content team - stakeholders do not need to provide their submission again.

Further information is also available in the FAQ and Scope documents under the heading Related below.

Any questions?

Please email standards@abs.gov.au with any questions on this consultation or for further information.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) commenced public consultation on September 1 2022 on proposed changes to ANZSCO as a targeted update.

Public consultation ran for four weeks, seeking feedback on:

• Construction-Related Trades Occupations
• Emerging Occupations identified by the (previous) National Skills Commission that were unable to be included in the ANZSCO 2021, Australian Update.

The 24 construction related trades occupations were developed in consultation with the (previous) Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE), based on the following criteria:

• occupations in ANZSCO Major Group 3 Technicians and Trades Workers at skill level 3
• occupations with significant Australian Apprenticeships commencements
• occupations traditionally associated with an apprenticeship pathway, that were not included in the 2021 update
• the number of persons employed in the occupation in the 2016 Census of Population and Housing are significant.

Also included were a small number of occupations that were engineering-related rather than construction, but which also satisfied the above criteria.

For the remaining Emerging Occupations, these included Data analyst, Data scientist, Data engineer, Data architect, Logistics analyst, Fundraiser, Hazardous materials labourer, Patient liaison, Regulatory affairs specialist and Risk analyst.

This public consultation generated 23 submissions from a wide range of stakeholder groups and sectors of the user community.

Construction-Related Trades Occupations

Continuing the review work that commenced in 2021, the ABS sought feedback on the proposed changes to be made to 24 Construction-Related Trades Occupations identified for review in 2022.

The ABS received one submission relating to the changes proposed suggesting additional changes.

Emerging Occupations

The ABS received 12 submissions during public consultation from a variety of organisations. Targeted consultation was undertaken with several stakeholders to discuss their submission in greater detail.  

Feedback on the proposed changes indicated strong support for the creation of new occupations in ANZSCO. Several submissions contained requests for minor changes to lead statements.

Ten submissions were received for occupations out of scope of this consultation round, however these will be considered as part of the upcoming Comprehensive Review of ANZSCO.

2022 Targeted Update

The feedback from stakeholders has been considered and incorporated into the updated descriptions for the 32 in-scope occupations targeted for review in 2022. The resulting ANZSCO 2022, Australian Update was released on the ABS website on 22 November 2022, along with a complete list of classification changes made for this update.

Construction-Related Trades Occupations

Two new occupations were added – Fire protection plumber, and Furniture maker.

Concerns were raised about the potential overlap between Formworker and Concreter and whether these are two distinct occupations. Consequently, these occupations will be further reviewed during the Comprehensive Review to identify the most suitable placement within the classification. Similarly, Shopfitter was not seen as a natural fit with carpenters and joiners due to the difference in materials with which they predominantly work and will be further considered during the Comprehensive Review.

Emerging Occupations

Based on feedback received through public consultation and stakeholder engagement, the ABS implemented changes to the lead statements for Data analyst, Data scientist and Regulatory affairs manager.

As a result of this review, the ABS created four new occupations for Data analyst, Data scientist, Supply chain analyst (Logistics analyst included as an alternative title) and Regulatory affairs manager. Proposed changes to Hazardous materials labourer and Fundraiser will be implemented during the Comprehensive Review as they require changes to the structure of ANZSCO.

The following occupations will be reviewed during the Comprehensive Review of ANZSCO – Data engineer, Data architect, Risk analyst and Patient liaison.

Future ANZSCO updates

Submissions related to occupations that fell outside the scope of the 2022 targeted update were not reviewed this round. These submissions, along with recommendations held over, will be considered as part of the forthcoming Comprehensive Review of ANZSCO. The Comprehensive Review is due for completion by December 2024.

Further details on how to participate in the Comprehensive Review were published 7 November 2022 on the ABS website.

If you would like more information, please email updating.anzsco@abs.gov.au

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) commenced public consultation on June 29 2022 on two topics related to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

Public consultation ran for four weeks, seeking feedback on:

• how skills are reflected in ANZSCO, and
• a new approach to maintaining ANZSCO.

This public consultation generated 105 submissions from a wide range of stakeholder groups and sectors of the user community.

Skills in ANZSCO

The ABS published a ‘Skills Options Paper’ in late June in response to feedback received from the skills problem statement. The paper outlined six proposals that address the key areas of concern identified by users and stakeholders. The ABS received 63 submissions through public consultation.

Feedback in the submissions indicated support for most of the proposals with a very strong preference for proposals one and two. These proposals were flagged as the highest priority and, if implemented, would ensure ANZSCO is better aligned with the current labour market.

The ABS also asked for suggestions on how to include micro-credentials in ANZSCO. A variety of suggestions were received and are now being considered. As responses were varied, further discussions with users and stakeholders are required to determine how best to reflect micro-credentials in the classification.

Maintaining ANZSCO

The ABS received 42 submissions from users on the ANZSCO Maintenance Strategy. There was unanimous agreement that the classification no longer accurately reflects the labour market and that major updates are urgently required.

We specifically sought feedback on the timing, frequency and process for reviewing areas of the classification. While our proposed solution of a targeted, annual maintenance model received widespread support, several concerns were raised. These include:

• the gap of 5 years between major updates may be too large to capture important changes in the labour market
• without an immediate comprehensive update, maintenance will be ineffective
• proposed prioritisation factors miss important considerations around the economic impacts and specific impacts on affected sectors (especially where they are small)
• users do not have a way to raise issues outside of the consultation rounds
• level of engagement by ABS will be insufficient if not consulting with industry, and education and training authorities.

We also asked users whether there would be any negative impacts that could arise from the implementation of the model, especially around the timing of updates. No issues were identified, and there was strong support for the timing of the releases. There were additional comments around the importance of aligning implementation around broader government measures to address skills shortages.

We also received a number of considerable change requests for specific areas of the classification, ranging from paramedics to professional organisers. These will be addressed separately as part of the comprehensive review and update by December 2024 in time for the 2026 Census.

Skills in ANZSCO

The ABS is currently reviewing these submissions and working closely with stakeholders to develop a Skills Position Paper, for release in November 2022. This paper will outline the position of the ABS and the changes that will be made to better reflect skills in ANZSCO.

A proposed intended timeline for implementation will also be included.

Maintaining ANZSCO

Based on the feedback provided through this consultation process, the ABS has reviewed elements of the ANZSCO Maintenance Strategy. Several adjustments have been made, particularly with the prioritisation framework. These will be published in a revised version of the ANZSCO Maintenance Strategy in November 2022.

Other concerns raised will require further exploration, for example, the need for updates outside the outlined consultation periods. These will be considered further across the next two years, ahead of finalisation of the strategy in early 2025.

If you have an interest in changes to ANZSCO and would like to subscribe to receive communication regarding future updates please provide contact details via anzsco.maintenance@abs.gov.au