Dr Gruen will discuss the ABS' response to the demand for data during COVID-19 and share some of the lessons learned. Noting COVID-19 affected statistics across all areas of ABS, this talk will highlight some of the key findings in demographic and population data which underpin the economy. While the fertility and mortality effects of COVID-19 have not yet been seen in the data, disruption to overseas travel is having a major impact on overseas migration, and within Australia changes in internal migration are also emerging.

The talk will cover the key data challenges and how the ABS responded by launching new products. COVID-19 also presented the ABS with an opportunity for innovation and to demonstrate public value in providing timely data to inform decisions.

Dr Gruen will put forward some early ideas on what's next for the ABS as it balances the long-established official statistics with newly emerging rapid response indicators.

Dr David Gruen was appointed Australian Statistician on 11 December 2019. As Agency Head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, he is accountable for the functions and operations of the Bureau.

David was previously the Deputy Secretary, Economic and Australia’s G20 Sherpa at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Before joining the Department in September 2014, he was Executive Director of the Macroeconomic Group at the Australian Treasury. David joined the Treasury in January 2003, before which he was the Head of the Economic Research Department at the Reserve Bank of Australia from 1998 to 2002. Before joining the Reserve Bank, David worked as a research scientist in the Research School of Physical Sciences at the Australian National University.

With financial support from a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship, David was visiting lecturer in the Economics Department and the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University from August 1991 to June 1993. He holds PhD degrees in physiology from Cambridge University, England and in economics from the Australian National University.

Registrations are available either for online (via Zoom) or to see Dr Gruen speaking in person at the Australian National University (limited seats available).

If you would like to attend in person, please note this will be a COVID safe event. Details here https://www.anu.edu.au/covid-19-advice/our-covid-safe-community/staying-covid-safe-and-healthy

Any attendees coming to the Australian National University for the seminar should also make a note of the ANU's privacy policy which is accessible here: https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_010007