Quality statistics boost to decision making

Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson says good progress has been made in the first year of a new commitment to producing the country’s most important statistics, called Tier 1 statistics.

In August 2012, the Cabinet agreed there should be 162 Tier 1 statistics, with the full list to be in place by 2016.

Statistics New Zealand now administers 101 Tier 1 statistics, 17 of which have been upgraded to the list in the past 12 months.

“Some of the statistics in development include air quality and soil health, household and personal net worth and primary health system access.

“The focus in the first year has been on improving the quality of statistics already available and making them subject to protocols to ensure they are designed, produced and delivered in a consistent way.

“The principles and protocols for Tier 1 statistics mean reporting is undertaken at arms-length from ministers, giving the public confidence in the integrity and independence of the data and analysis,” Maurice Williamson says.

Tier 1 statistics are produced to the highest of statistical standards and are essential to critical decision making. They are developed according to a set of protocols and principles that ensure impartiality and quality, long-term data continuity and meet international standards allowing for international comparability.
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