Appointment of Chief Executive and Government Statistician for Statistics New Zealand

Monday 21 May

The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, announced today that Geoff Bascand has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive and Government Statistician for Statistics New Zealand. Mr Bascand is currently Deputy Government Statistician, a position he has held since 2004.

Mark Prebble says that the Government Statistician is required to act independently, provide information and deliver free and frank advice with authority, openness and truthfulness.

"Mr Bascand understands the powers and responsibilities of the Government Statistician and he has the ability to exercise good judgement in their use. Mr Bascand clearly understands the context in which Statistics New Zealand operates and he has the leadership and relationship management skills to lead the department forward," Mark Prebble says.

Mr Bascand is a career public servant, beginning at the Treasury in 1981 as an Economic Analyst and later as the Director of Forecasting. From 1998 to 2004 Mr Bascand was the General Manager of the Labour Market Policy Group in the Department of Labour. As well as working at the Treasury and the Department of Labour, he has been a Research Fellow at the Centre of Policy Studies, Monash University in Australia and from 1996 to 1997 he was a Staff Economist at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC.

Mr Bascand has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Geography from Otago University and a Master of Economics from the Australian National University. In 2005 Mr Bascand was awarded a Leadership Development Centre Fellowship.

Mark Prebble says Mr Bascand has held senior management positions in three departments and has experience in managing difficult projects and relationships, and in policy development.

"He has experience working for Ministers and has developed constructive, collaborative relationships with external agencies in his current and previous positions. Mr Bascand has the strategic capability, statistical credibility, and integrity and personal qualities to successfully lead Statistics New Zealand in the next stages of its development.

"Geoff Bascand will take over from Dallas Welch, who has been the acting Chief Executive and Government Statistician for Statistics New Zealand since Brian Pink resigned in March," Mark Prebble said.

Geoff Bascand will take up his appointment on 22 May 2007.

ENDS

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