README.Rmd

---
output: github_document
---

```{r setup, include = FALSE}
knitr::opts_chunk$set(
  collapse = TRUE,
  comment = "#>",
  fig.path = "man/figures/README-",
  out.width = "100%"
)
```

<!-- README.md is generated from README.Rmd. Please edit that file -->

# raustats: An R package for accessing ABS and RBA statistics

An R package for downloading Australian economic statistics from the Australian
Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) websites.


## Installation

You can install the released version of `raustats` from [CRAN](https://CRAN.R-project.org) with:

```{r eval=FALSE}
install.packages("raustats")
```
or the latest development version from github with:

```{r, eval = FALSE}
remotes::install_github("mitcda/raustats")
```

## How to use raustats

To learn more about the raustats package, start with the vignettes:
```{r, eval = FALSE}
browseVignettes(package = "raustats")
```


## Introduction

The [Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)](http://www.abs.gov.au/) is
Australia’s national statistical agency, providing trusted official statistics
on a wide range of economic, social, population and environmental matters of
importance to Australia. Key ABS statistical collections include:
 
  * Australian National Accounts
  * International Trade
  * Consumer Price Index (CPI)
  * Labour Force
  * Population trends


The [Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)](https://www.rba.gov.au/) is Australia's
central bank. In addition to its legislative responsibilities, it collects and
publishes statistics on money, credit, the Australian banking systems and other
relevant economic metrics. Key RBA statistics include:

  * Banking system assets and liabilities
  * Money and credit statistics
  * Household and business finances
  * Interest rates
  * Exchange rates
  * Inflation and inflation expectations.

The ABS and RBA make their statistics primarily available through Excel and/or
CSV spreadsheets. 

This package provides functions to search and download data and statistics from
the [Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)](http://www.abs.gov.au/) and [Reserve
Bank of Australia (RBA)](https://www.rba.gov.au/) websites, as well as draft
access to the [ABS.Stat](http://stat.data.abs.gov.au/) - Beta data catalogue
API.


## Examples

### Downloading ABS Catalogue Statistics

ABS catalogue statistics may be downloaded, by catalogue number, using the
`abs_cat_stats()` function. The following example downloads all Consumer Price Index
(CPI) data series (ABS Catalogue no. 6401.0).

```{r eval=FALSE}
cpi_all <- abs_cat_stats("6401.0")
```

To download only the latest statistics reported in Table 1 (ABS groups Tables 1 and
2), simply provide a regular expression to the `tables` argument:

```{r eval=FALSE}
cpi <- abs_cat_stats("6401.0", tables="Table.+1")
```

The package also provides functions to ABS statistics via the
[ABS.Stat](http://stat.data.abs.gov.au/) Beta API. See the package help and
vignettes for examples. 


### Downloading RBA data

RBA data series may be downloaded by table number, using the `rba_stats()`
function. The following example downloads Table A1 - Liabilities and Assets of
the RBA.

```{r eval=FALSE}
rba_bs <- rba_stats("A1")
```