Statistics New Zealand aims to ensure that official statistics provide a consistent and coherent picture of New Zealand's economy, society and environment. This allows comparisons to be readily made over time and across geographic areas, industries and other domains. Data produced from different sources and at different times can be brought together to provide a richer dataset for analysis. Data can also be used beyond the initial purpose for which it was produced.
Statistics New Zealand uses three key strategies to facilitate such data integration, both across statistics produced by Statistics New Zealand and with other official statistics:
Under the Statistics Act 1975, the Government Statistician is required to "define, lay down and promote standard concepts, procedures, definitions and classifications for use in official statistics".
View the classifications and related statistical standards View the classifications and standards currently being reviewed View the overview of the classifications and standards process View the terminology for classification reviews View the statistical standard and standard classification reviews – information paper View the Classification Code Finder (CCF) View the geographic hierarchy View the urban rural profile experimental class categories
Harmonised System 2012 – The New Zealand Harmonised System Classification (NZHSC) has been updated to incorporate changes from the World Customs Organization's 2012 edition of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS). This version of the NZHSC takes effect on 1 January 2012 and replaces the 2007 version, see Harmonised System 2007.