Roles, responsibilities and functions

The Statistics Act 1975, sets out the Government Statistician's role in, and responsibilities for, all official statistics whether produced by Statistics New Zealand or by other government departments.

To meet its responsibilities under this Act, Statistics New Zealand's main roles are to:

1. Provide leadership for New Zealand's official statistics.
2. Be the key contributor to the collection, analysis and dissemination of official statistics relating to New Zealand's economy, environment and society.
3. Build and maintain trust in official statistics.
4. Ensure that official statistics are of high integrity and quality and are equally available to all.

To give effect to the principles for government action on the Treaty of Waitangi, Statistics New Zealand will work to ensure Māori statistical needs can be identified and progressively met.

The functions of Statistics New Zealand arise from the provisions of the Statistics Act 1975 and can be summarised as follows:

• to collect, compile, analyse, abstract, and publish with or without comment, statistics on New Zealand economic, financial, production, environmental, and social matters, making or constructing such estimates, forecasts, projections, and statistical models as the Government Statistician may consider necessary
• to advise the Minister of Statistics on statistical policy matters and to keep the Minister informed of the nature, scope, purpose, and usefulness of existing or proposed statistical projects of all government departments
• to define, lay down, and promote standard concepts, procedures, definitions, and classifications for use in official statistics, and to advise other government departments on the suitability of statistical projects initiated or carried on by them
• to examine proposals (other than those covered by ministerial waiver) by government departments to commence or commission any new statistical survey or to make a substantial alteration to an existing survey, then, in consultation with the department concerned, to prepare a submission to the Minister of Statistics seeking approval for the new or revised survey to be undertaken
• to review from time to time the collection, compilation, analysis, abstraction and publication of official statistics prepared by the Department and other government departments
• to convene a meeting of users of statistics at least once every five years, in order to review user needs
• to carry out investigations and provide certificates as may be required by any other Act
• to maintain general liaison with international organisations such as the various United Nations agencies on statistical matters, and to provide, where appropriate, technical advice and assistance and statistical training facilities to developing nations, particularly in the Pacific area.

Review of Statistics New Zealand and its Future Contribution to Official Statistics