Method for creation of linkage keys

Tim Bennett made this Freedom of Information request to Australian Bureau of Statistics

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

Australian Bureau of Statistics did not have the information requested.

Dear Australian Bureau of Statistics,

In the response to request "FOI 201516-07" dated May 30 2016, the attached document "FOI 201516 07 Response with documents.pdf" discusses the creation of "unique statistical linkage keys" for example through the encoding of names and/or names and addresses.

I wish to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 1982:

(1) Any documentation specifying the method or methods by which a personal identifier (including but not limited to a name or name and address pair) will be transformed into a statistical linkage key in the 2016 Census.

(2) Any source code, algorithm or similar machine-implemented process that will be used to transform a personal identifier into a statistical linkage key in the 2016 Census. Source code need only be the relevant part of a program that takes a personal identifier as an input and returns a statistical linkage key as an output.

Yours faithfully,
Tim Bennett

Wolfgang Hertel, Australian Bureau of Statistics

Dear Mr Bennett

I refer to your application in which you seek access to the following
documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (ABS reference FOI
201617-03):
(1) Any documentation specifying the method or methods by which a personal
identifier (including but not limited to a name or name and address pair)
will be transformed into a statistical linkage key in the 2016 Census.
(2) Any source code, algorithm or similar machine-implemented process that
will be used to transform a personal identifier into a statistical linkage
key in the 2016 Census. Source code need only be the relevant part of a
program that takes a personal identifier as an input and returns a
statistical linkage key as an output.

Your request was received by the ABS on 22 July 2016 and the 30 days
statutory period for processing your request commenced from that date.  If
this request will take longer than 30 days to process, we will contact you
to negotiate an extension of time.

You will be notified of any charges in accordance with the Freedom of
Information (Fees and Charges) Regulations, should they apply, in relation
to your request as soon as practicable.

Regards,

Wolfgang Hertel

FOI Contact Officer

Australian Bureau of Statistics

(P) (02) 6252 7203

(E) [1][email address]   (W)  [2]www.abs.gov.au

For information about how the ABS' handles personal information please see
our [3]Privacy Policy.

References

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Keelie Williams, Australian Bureau of Statistics

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Bennett,

In response to your FOI request received on 22 July 2016, please find
attached the formal response from the ABS.

Should you have any questions regarding this please feel free to contact
the ABS FOI Contact Officer on: 02 6252 7203 or email:
[1][ABS request email]

(See attached file: [email address].au_20160822_130846.pdf)

Regards,

FOI Contact Officer

Australian Bureau of Statistics

(P) (02) 6252 7203

(E) [2][ABS request email]   (W)  [3]www.abs.gov.au

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[ABS request email]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.abs.gov.au/