All staff and students working as consultants for the Department are expected
to adhere to the following Code of Conduct. It is based on the Code of Conduct
of the Statistical Society of Australia.
Staff undertaking regular consulting work are encouraged to be accredited
members of the Statistical Society of Australia.
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Consultants shall ensure that within their chosen fields they have appropriate
knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, regulations and standards
and that they comply with such requirements. For example, those engaged
in market research activity should be aware of privacy laws affecting
data collection and publication.
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Consultants shall in their professional practice have regard to procedures
designed to ensure the highest ethical standards. In particular, they
shall ensure that the collection of information and the publication of
results shall observe relevant privacy laws.
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Consultants shall not make any public statement in their professional
capacity unless competent to do so and, where appropriate, authorized
to do so.
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Consultants shall carry out work with due care and diligence in accordance
with the requirements of the client and shall, if their professional judgement
is overruled, indicate the likely consequences.
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Consultants shall not disclose or authorize to be disclosed, or use
for personal gain or to benefit a third party, confidential information
acquired in the course of professional practice, except with prior written
permission of the client, or at the direction of a court of law.
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Consultants shall declare any interests or otherwise, which could be
perceived as influencing the outcome of work undertaken for a client.
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Consultants should set out in writing any conflict, potential or actual,
with the interests of the client.
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Consultants should try to prevent the use of any misleading summary
of data in their name. They should ensure that full disclosure is made
of all assumptions and caveats.
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Consultants shall uphold the reputation of Econometrics and Statistics
and shall seek to improve professional standards through participation
in their development, use and enforcement, and shall avoid any action
which will adversely affect the good standing of Econometrics and Statistics.
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Consultants shall act with integrity towards colleagues and to members
of other professions with whom they are concerned in a professional capacity,
and shall avoid engaging in any activity which is incompatible with their
professional status. Whilst consultants are free to engage in controversy,
no consultant shall cast doubt on the professional competence of another
person without good cause.
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Consultants shall seek to upgrade their professional knowledge and skill
and shall maintain awareness of technological developments, procedures
and standards which are relevant to their field, and shall encourage their
colleagues to do likewise.
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Consultants shall seek to conform to recognized good practice including
quality standards which are in their judgement relevant, and shall encourage
their colleagues to do likewise. Consultants who supervise the work of
students shall seek to ensure that all work performed under their supervision
is of a professional standard.
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Consultants shall only offer to do work or provide service which is
within their professional competence and shall not lay claim to any level
of competence which they do not possess.
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Consultants shall accept professional responsibility for work in their
name, and any professional assessment which they are asked to give shall
be as objective and reliable as possible.
