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The work of Statistics New Zealand and of other government agencies who produce official statistics is guided by the Statistics Act, as well as by other legislation such as the Privacy Act, the Official Information Act and the Archives Act. The Policy Framework for Government Held Information (is a key government policy document that also guides our work.
The United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics provides the basic framework for official statistics in member countries. Many of our statistics, particularly in the economic area, are produced according to international standards and frameworks allowing for comparisons between countries.
Much of the work of Statistics New Zealand and of other agencies producing official statistics is based on policies and practices that have been developed and implemented over many years. Along with legislative protection, these policies provide a strong foundation for public and government trust in the quality and integrity of New Zealand's official statistics. Key documents outlining these policies are included here.
Some of the documents, particularly the Protocols for Official Statistics, apply to all government agencies producing Tier 1 statistics. The protocols were developed in 2006 to ensure their official statistics use methodologies and practices that are statistically sound. The protocols are based on 10 principles that embody the key aspects of the Statistics Act 1975 and the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. They have been developed by Statistics New Zealand in consultation with Tier 1 statistics-producing agencies.
Guidelines which support and expand on the principles in the protocol have been produced: Guidelines for Publishing Data Subject to Error and the Data Integration Manual. Other guidelines will be produced in the future, including updated graph and table standards.
Lastly there are the policies and protocols that relate specifically to Statistics New Zealand. Relevant documents are included here both for general information about the way we operate and also as a guide to other agencies who want to develop similar policies for their own use. They include the Microdata Access Protocol, the Population Census Record Matching Policy, the Business Frame Release Policy and Sponsored Surveys.
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