Statistically speaking, a win for Deakin

A FRESHLY-INKED deal between Deakin University and the Australian Bureau of Statistics is set to create new number-crunching jobs in Geelong over the coming decade.

ABS boss David Kalisch was in Geelong yesterday to sign a memorandum of understanding with Deakin vice chancellor Jane den Hollander at the university’s Waterfront campus.

Australia’s chief statistician said the new link would allow for data sourced by the bureau to be better analysed and scrutinised.

“It really is a true partnership. We’ll be drawing on the expertise of their professional staff,” Mr Kalisch said.

“It’s about the ABS working with Deakin and leveraging its partnerships with industry, draw on real examples, deal with real-life quandaries and assist us to get some better outcomes for Australia.”

Professor den Hollander said the new agreement would build on Deakin’s existing relationship with the agency, which last year set up its Nat- ional Data Acquisition Centre (NDAC) in Geelong.

“The ABS work in one of the Deakin buildings; technically they are our tenants,” she said.

“What we’ve done in the 18 months since they moved is developed this great partnership.

“They’ve got all the data, they have the statisticians. On our side, we have the mathematicians, the data analysts plus psychologists who work in survey instruments and we’ve done is put teams together.”

The NDAC brought 300 new jobs to Geelong, serving as a collection point for data from all business and household surveys conducted across the country.

“It’s about the ABS working with Deakin and leveraging its partnerships with industry, draw on real examples ... “

ABS BOSS DAVID KALISCH