text: problem for developing countries functioning on deficit budgets. 36. The outposting of statisticians to various policy departments in Australia was described as a valuable pointer to developing countries which had no hope of setting up and staffing an independent agency to deal with social indicators. That decentralization could shorten the distance between policy-makers and indicators, as it had done in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. 37. After reference to the media and their interest in Australia in indicators, it was mentioned that in most democratic situations social indicators were transmitted by the media and operated as forces for change or for reinforcing the status quo. 38. In l 977, in Australia, a policy-making agency in the health area expressed its concern over the lack of sufficient, timely and appropriate data necessary for improving the situation. That agency protested that, as a result, the health and well-being of the people of Australia were being prejudiced and scarce resources were not being used to the best advantage . This was an extremely hopeful sign that social indicators, in addition to the more conventional social statistics, could be welcomed 10 by relevant authorities, even when the indicators pointed to previous programme shortcomings . It was clear that when relevant data were presented in an understandable manner, they were well on the way to having an impact on policy. 39. The necessity of indicators to reflect the different level of each measured element in various parts of a country was stressed. That was a more important matter to a large than to a small country; also, more important to one where only a small urban government elite exercised power than to one where authority was brought from the grass-roots level to the central executive. 40. The discussion ended with a comment on the greater importance 
analysis: The text discusses the importance of social indicators in policy-making, particularly in developing countries. It highlights the need for timely and relevant data to inform policy decisions, and how decentralization and media can play a role in promoting the use of indicators. The text also touches on the importance of indicators in reflecting the different levels of development across a country.