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New Zealand has signed up to the International Open Data Charter, in a move to help drive innovation, support public accountability, and encourage engagement with government, Statistics Minister Scott Simpson has announced.

Bringing together data from across government, a study looking into the lives of premature babies will help front-line doctors and parents make better informed choices about the care of their children, Statistics Minister Scott Simpson says.

A new set of questions is being included in national surveys to improve information about disabled people and their lives, Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner and Statistics Minister Scott Simpson say.

The questions, known as the Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Disability, will be included in the New Zealand General Social Survey, carried out every two years, and annually in the June quarter of the Household Labour Force Survey.

New Zealanders will get access to more ‘open data’, with $7.2 million earmarked for the next three years to speed its release, Statistics Minister Scott Simpson announced today.

“Open data helps businesses, councils, community and charitable groups as well as other data users make faster, better-informed decisions and help solve complex problems. High quality data makes it easier for businesses to innovate and grow,” Mr Simpson says.

$4.5 million of new operating funding over the next three years will allow Stats NZ to explore new ways of obtaining and providing census information without the expense and inconvenience to New Zealanders of a full five-year census, Statistics Minister Scott Simpson says.

“Being able to produce census data without being tied to a five-year cycle by using existing government data would mean more information can be gathered at a lower cost and be delivered to users on a more regular basis,” Mr Simpson says.

Statistics Minister Mark Mitchell has welcomed the transfer of the Government’s open data programme to Statistics New Zealand (Stats NZ), saying it will help boost the Government’s commitment to providing better and more freely available information.

“Stats NZ leads data analytics across Government, and as part of this has been tasked with managing the Open Data New Zealand programme,” Mr Mitchell says.

Statistics Minister Mark Mitchell today announced Statistics New Zealand will team up with its Netherlands counterpart to strengthen the way both agencies gather and use data.

Statistics NZ and Statistics Netherlands have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and will work together in an ongoing partnership.

“Both agencies are amongst the most modern and innovative institutions of their kind in the world, and this agreement will help ensure New Zealanders are getting the best possible value from data,” Mr Mitchell says.

Improving the availability of quality information about New Zealand’s disabled community will lead to better decision-making by government agencies, Statistics Minister Craig Foss and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner say.

The Ministers today opened consultation on the development of a Disability Plan to ensure government agencies have the data necessary to make informed, evidence-based policy decisions.

New Zealand’s world-leading research database continues to grow with the inclusion of new data from the transport sector, Statistics Minister Craig Foss says.

The Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) holds a wealth of information, including anonymised tax, education, welfare, migration, crime and health data. 

“The IDI is a kind of data warehouse — it brings together information about people, households and businesses from across the public sector and combines it with data from the census and other Statistics NZ surveys,” Mr Foss says.

Statistics NZ is taking another step toward being ‘digital by default’ by moving three more business surveys online, Statistics Minister Craig Foss says.

The three surveys — Quarterly Economic Survey of Manufacturing, Quarterly Wholesale Trade Survey and Quarterly Business Survey — are now available online for the June 2016 quarter.

Statistics Minister Craig Foss is counting down the days until the 2018 Census — 613.

The Government Statistician today announced, by proclamation from the Governor General, that the next census will be held on Tuesday 6 March 2018.

“The census provides the Government, iwi, businesses and our communities with robust and independent data that is invaluable for making smart evidence-based decisions,” Mr Foss says.

Statistics and Small Business Minister Craig Foss is welcoming a new online data tool that will help businesses grow and thrive by providing easily accessible and understandable data.

Officially launched today, Business Figures is the result of an innovative public-private partnership between Figure.NZ, ASB Bank and Statistics NZ.

Statistics Minister Craig Foss is welcoming a new website that enables New Zealanders to easily find and use government data.

“Data that is, and will be, available from across government is incredibly valuable. The new Statistics NZ innovation website is about creating more opportunities for New Zealanders to find and benefit from information held by the Government,” Mr Foss says.

“The website is a test bed for users to look at information, play with it and provide feedback on how it can be improved.

Statistics Minister Craig Foss is welcoming the release of Cabinet papers on the future of the census and appointments to the working group of the Data Futures Partnership.

Statistics New Zealand has published the Census Transformation paper and a Cabinet paper of the appointments made to the Data Futures Partnership Working Group.

“New Zealand needs the information from the census to enable communities to plan for things like schools, health needs and roads,” says Mr Foss.

A leap forward in the use of existing tax data means Statistics New Zealand has been able to halve the number of businesses being surveyed for important economic information, Minister of Statistics and for Small Business Craig Foss says.

Until now, 1800 businesses around the country have been surveyed for the manufacturing, wholesale trade, and services information.

But an improved survey design made possible by better use of existing tax data means that number has been trimmed to 900.

New Zealanders who want to understand the similarities or differences between Sandringham and Three Kings, Brooklyn and Vogeltown, or Sydhenham and Beckenham can have their say about how these areas and more are defined for statistical purposes, Statistics Minister Craig Foss says.

Statistics New Zealand is reviewing its Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas (SSGA) for the first time in over 20 years.  The review aims to improve how statistical geographies are defined and used in statistical data.

New Zealanders are being invited to have their say about proposed topics under the new national environmental reporting system, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Statistics Minister Craig Foss announced today.

Publication of the first comprehensive, independent and nationwide set of statistics on the environment today is an important step in strengthening the integrity of New Zealand’s clean green brand, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Statistics Minister Craig Foss say. 

Statistics Minister Craig Foss is celebrating World Statistics Day today with a new infographic explaining how better data leads to better lives for all New Zealanders.

“World Statistics Day is an opportunity to reflect on the enormous value of data and whether we — as a government, business, family or individual — are making the most of the opportunities it presents,” Mr Foss says.

Finance Minister Bill English and Statistics Minister Craig Foss today named the working group responsible for leading the new Data Futures Partnership.

“The Data Futures Partnership is an exciting opportunity to potentially deliver economic and social value for New Zealand by solving issues that limit trusted data-use and innovation,” Mr English says.

“I’m confident this diverse group of people has the knowledge and experience necessary to understand the issues and look for innovative solutions.”

New Zealand’s clean, green brand will be strengthened with the passage of the Environmental Reporting Act by Parliament today, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Statistics Minister Craig Foss say. 

“The new Environmental Reporting Act will back up our clean, green brand with authoritative and independent information on the state of our environment. It will tell us where we match up, where we don’t and give regular updates so that we can track long-term changes,” Dr Smith says.

New Zealand will gain significant economic and social benefits from the formation of the New Zealand Data Futures Partnership, Finance Minister Bill English and Statistics Minister Craig Foss say.

The Partnership — an independent group made up of members from the private, NGO, academic and public sectors — will champion the safe collection, use and sharing of government and business data.

“The volume of data held by the public and private sectors is growing exponentially,” Mr English says.

Statistics Minister Craig Foss says a new infographic celebrating 150 years since Wellington became the capital shows how far the city has come.

“Wellington was chosen as the capital city by three Australians 150 years ago.  A lot has changed since then and Statistics NZ has been able to track that change through the data it collects,” Mr Foss says.

“Wellington really is the ‘coolest little capital’ but 150 years ago it was seriously little — with a population of just over 7000 people.

Statistics Minister Craig Foss is again urging New Zealanders to share their views on 2018 Census content.

The consultation process includes online submissions and a discussion forum — a first for Statistics New Zealand. 

“It’s been great to see hundreds of New Zealanders going online to discuss and debate what really matters to them,” Mr Foss says.

“I encourage anyone who hasn’t done so already to go online and have their say before the consultation process ends on 30 June.