Multi-Source Data & the Evolution of Official Statistics - with Dr Anders Holmberg

Multi-Source Data & the Evolution of Official Statistics - with Dr Anders Holmberg

From The Random Sample by MACSYS

November 26, 2025 · 46 min · Season 10 · Episode 118

About this episode

This episode discusses the shift toward multi-source data in official statistics with Dr Anders Holmberg from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

For decades, surveys have been the backbone of official statistics - helping us measure everything from population trends to economic activity. But response rates have been falling dramatically across the world for the past few decades. This decline is forcing statistical agencies to rethink how they collect the data we all rely on. In this episode, we explore the shift toward multi-source data with our special guest, Dr Anders Holmberg, General Manager and Chief Methodologist for the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). What is multi-source data, how is it collected, and what are the challenges for official statistics agencies as they move to these new data sources? Our host is Professor James Brown, Professor of Official Statistics and current head of discipline for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. Episode webpage:   https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/multi-source-data-abs/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Professor James Brown

Guest: Dr Anders Holmberg

Topics covered

  • multi-source data
  • official statistics
  • data collection
  • response rates
  • statistical agencies

Keywords

  • multi-source data
  • official statistics
  • data collection
  • response rates
  • statistical agencies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Australian Bureau of Statistics, University of Technology Sydney

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