Established by the Cultural Ministers Council in 1985, the Statistics Working Group supports a national program of cultural data collection, research and analysis. It aims to improve policy- and decision-making in cultural industries and government by enhancing the quality, range and availability of relevant cultural statistics.
The Statistics Working Group promotes the collection of high quality data within the cultural industry, supporting the development of national standards for data collection. It commissions a range of statistical research work and produces publications.
The Statistics Working Group is currently chaired by Queensland. Other participating jurisdictions are the Australian Government, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia and New Zealand. Other members come from the Australia Council, the Australian Film Commission, and the National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics in the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The Statistics Working Group’s website, Cultural Data Online, provides further information on the Statistics Working Group’s activities and publications.