The Statistical Society of Australia's branches have come together to launch the National Speaker Series, bringing you insightful talks from experts across the country. Each month, a different branch will host an event, showcasing diverse topics in statistics and data science. We’re excited to invite you to the first event for 2026, hosted by the Victorian and Tasmanian Branch, to be held in person in Canberra and online via Teams.
Date: Wednesday 18th March 2026
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm (AEDT)
Venue: Knibbs Auditorium, Ground Floor, ABS House, 45 Benjamin Way, Belconnen ACT 2617
Online via Teams: Details provided upon registration
Title: Careers at the Australian Bureau of Statistics
As Australia’s national statistical agency, we are an official source of independent and reliable data and insights. We tell the story of Australia - its economy, its people, its challenges and opportunities. As the demand for data continues to grow, we’re evolving how we collect, analyse and share data to better meet the needs of governments, communities and businesses.
In this event you'll get a taste of what it’s like to work at the ABS and hear about some of the innovative statistical projects some of our early-career staff delivered this year. These projects reflect our commitment to delivering reliable, contemporary data and insights through modernising our systems and processes.
Project 1 - Demonstrating the value of improved business location data
Regional economic information is key in supporting policy and planning that accounts for variation by geography. In this presentation we look at how the Business Location Dataset (BLD) improves regional economic analysis by addressing limitations caused by differences between nominal and operating locations of businesses. We also explore potential uses for the BLD and demonstrate its ability to fill current data gaps and be used across different domains.
Project 2 - Scoping an emission accounts methodology based on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and the System of National Accounts (SNA)
As Australia charts its course towards its 2050 net zero emissions target, the need for emissions data becomes increasingly critical. In this presentation we investigate a methodological roadmap to create greenhouse gas emissions accounts aligned with SEEA/SNA standards, enabling the linking of emissions to economic data.
Project 3 - Estimation of Australian Poultry Numbers
Why did the chicken cross the road? To modernise agricultural statistics! Following the discontinuation of the agricultural census, this project aims to assess the ABS's capacity to produce a reliable estimate of the Australian poultry population. We'll showcase the development and validation of quarterly and annual population estimates, delivering an equivalent measure to the former census data item, and outlining recommendations for future work.
Interested in a career in data? The ABS leads the 2027 Australian Government Graduate Program – Data Stream on behalf of the Australian Government. This program allows you to apply once and be considered by multiple agencies, including the ABS. Click here to for more information and to submit applications, which will close 31 March 2026.
Presenters:
Christiana Stone
Christiana Stone joined the ABS as a graduate in February 2025 and is currently working in Household Statistics Methodology, supporting 2026 Census operations. She holds a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Mathematics from Macquarie University, and in her spare time enjoys reading and learning languages.
Mackenzie Horth
Mackenzie Horth joined the ABS in 2025 as a Graduate after completing a Bachelor of Global Studies with a specialisation in International Relations at Monash University. After relocating from Melbourne to Canberra earlier this year, Mackenzie now supports engagement with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities across NSW and the ACT to help deliver the best possible outcomes for the 2026 Census. Outside of work, he enjoys experimenting with new recipes with his partner, and staying active.
Tom O'Shea
Tom O'Shea studied Finance and Economics at the University of Queensland. He joined the ABS at the beginning of 2025 and is currently working as a Statistical Analyst in the Government Finance Statistics team.
Charlotte Balfour
Charlotte Balfour completed a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), where her honours research explored an EEG-based method for indexing working memory. She joined the ABS in 2024 with the Survey of Income and Housing team, contributing to the design of content for the 2025-26 cycle. Since then, she has supported work on a new digital method for capturing household expenditure and is currently part of the Household Expenditure Survey team, focusing on cognitive testing and refinement of survey content for the 2027-28 cycle.
Kristopher Hammond
Kristopher Hammond studied a Bachelor of Economics and graduated in 2022. He first joined the ABS in 2024 working in national accounts. He is currently in the consumption team, compiling household final consumption expenditure estimates.
Matt Young
Matt Young studied a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours) and graduated in 2023. He first joined the ABS in 2024, working casually in the contact centre, before moving into a graduate position in the Environmental and Thematic Statistics section at the beginning of 2025. He is now working on the upcoming second publication of the National Ecosystem Accounts, which provides estimates of the extent, condition and services provided by Australia's ecosystems.
Sarah Gregor
Sarah Gregor graduated with an Honours degree in Economics at Monash University and started at the ABS in February 2025 in the graduate program. She works in the National Accounts Benchmarks team as a statistical analyst and had the opportunity to work in the National Centre of Crime and Justice Statistics at the ABS during her graduate rotation.
Akshay Bordia
Akshay Bordia studied Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) and Bachelor of Actuarial Science at Monash University. He joined ABS last year as a Graduate in the Finance and Procurement Branch, with his rotations being with the Financial Statements team and Finance Business Partners team. At the start of this year, he moved to the Business and Statistical Insights Branch where he worked as a Statistical Analyst for the Energy and Water Survey team.
Anna Liang
Anna Liang studied Bachelor of Computer Science and started at the ABS in Oct 2024. Her current role is as a Data Analyst in the Census Data Processing and Coding section.
Gracie Farrar
Gracie Farrar joined the ABS in September 2024 ahead of commencing the graduate program, working in the Producer Price Index within the Prices Branch. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia, and her pastimes include reading and yoga.
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