Bill McLennan
Encyclopedia
William Patrick McLennan (born 26 January 1942) is an Australia
n statistician who was Director of the Central Statistical Office
(CSO) of the United Kingdom
and Australian Statistician
.
, New South Wales
. He joined the Australian Bureau of Statistics
(ABS) on 29 February 1960 as a statistics cadet and by 1964 had completed a degree in Statistics and Economics from the Australian National University
and started working at the ABS full time.
but shortly afterwards, he was promoted to First Assistant Statistician and returned to the ABS as the head of Coordination and Management Division, where he led a review of the Census and Statistics Act in the early 1980s. He oversaw the establishment of the corporate planning system and the production of the ABS's first Corporate Plan in 1987. He championed the adoption of PC and Internet technologies to reduce the cost structure in the ABS and improved the readability of statistical output. In 1986, he became Deputy Australian Statistician.
(CSO) and head of the Government Statistical Services of the United Kingdom
. He was the first person from outside the UK to be appointed to that post.
During his tenure, he proposed the merger of the OPCS
and the CSO
in August 1994, which was subsequently announced by Prime Minister
John Major
in September 1995 following a consultation period and took place on 1 April 1996 when the Office for National Statistics
was launched. He persuaded the Chancellor of the Exchequer
, Norman Lamont, to reduce ministerial access to economic statistics in advance of publication and to permit statistics to be released independently of ministers. He produced the Official Statistics Code of Practice, first published in April 1995, which set good practice and principles for statisticians producing official statistics with the aim of promoting high standards and maintaining public confidence in official statistics. He led the CSO through its early years as a 'Next Steps Agency' with demanding and quantified targets for the accuracy of statistics.
from 1994 to 1995.
and head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics
from 1995. During this period, he developed the work and direction of the ABS; placed great emphasis on the professional development of the staff; and provided a focus for the international activities of the Bureau, with a special emphasis on Asia. He retired on 30 June 2000.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n statistician who was Director of the Central Statistical Office
Central Statistical Office, UK
The Central Statistical Office was a British government department charged with the collection and publication of economic statistics for the United Kingdom...
(CSO) of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australian Statistician
Australian Statistician
The Australian Statistician is the head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics.On 18 June 1906, the first Statistician of the Commonwealth of Australia was appointed to carry out the provisions of the Census and Statistics Act 1905...
.
Early years
Bill McLennan was born on 26 January 1942 in GraftonGrafton, New South Wales
The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He joined the Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
(ABS) on 29 February 1960 as a statistics cadet and by 1964 had completed a degree in Statistics and Economics from the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
and started working at the ABS full time.
Australian Bureau of Statistics
McLennan spent almost all his career at the ABS. Initially, he worked on sampling and methodology, then was promoted to Assistant Statistician in 1973. He left the ABS in 1979 to become Victorian Deputy Commonwealth Statistician in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
but shortly afterwards, he was promoted to First Assistant Statistician and returned to the ABS as the head of Coordination and Management Division, where he led a review of the Census and Statistics Act in the early 1980s. He oversaw the establishment of the corporate planning system and the production of the ABS's first Corporate Plan in 1987. He championed the adoption of PC and Internet technologies to reduce the cost structure in the ABS and improved the readability of statistical output. In 1986, he became Deputy Australian Statistician.
Central Statistical Office, United Kingdom
In 1992, McLennan was appointed Director of the Central Statistical OfficeCentral Statistical Office, UK
The Central Statistical Office was a British government department charged with the collection and publication of economic statistics for the United Kingdom...
(CSO) and head of the Government Statistical Services of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He was the first person from outside the UK to be appointed to that post.
During his tenure, he proposed the merger of the OPCS
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys
The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys , was created in May 1970 through the merger of the General Register Office and the Government Social Survey Department....
and the CSO
Central Statistical Office, UK
The Central Statistical Office was a British government department charged with the collection and publication of economic statistics for the United Kingdom...
in August 1994, which was subsequently announced by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
in September 1995 following a consultation period and took place on 1 April 1996 when the Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
was launched. He persuaded the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, Norman Lamont, to reduce ministerial access to economic statistics in advance of publication and to permit statistics to be released independently of ministers. He produced the Official Statistics Code of Practice, first published in April 1995, which set good practice and principles for statisticians producing official statistics with the aim of promoting high standards and maintaining public confidence in official statistics. He led the CSO through its early years as a 'Next Steps Agency' with demanding and quantified targets for the accuracy of statistics.
United Nations Statistical Commission
McLennan was Chairman of the United Nations Statistical CommissionUnited Nations Statistical Commission
The United Nations Statistical Commission oversees the work of the United Nations Statistics Division or UNSD, and is a Functional Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council...
from 1994 to 1995.
Australian Statistician
McLennan became the Australian StatisticianAustralian Statistician
The Australian Statistician is the head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics.On 18 June 1906, the first Statistician of the Commonwealth of Australia was appointed to carry out the provisions of the Census and Statistics Act 1905...
and head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
from 1995. During this period, he developed the work and direction of the ABS; placed great emphasis on the professional development of the staff; and provided a focus for the international activities of the Bureau, with a special emphasis on Asia. He retired on 30 June 2000.