Statistics New Zealand

Statistics New Zealand
Statistics New Zealand
Tatauranga Aotearoa
Statisticsnewzealand.png
Statistics New Zealand logo
Agency overview
Jurisdiction New Zealand
Headquarters Statistics House, The Boulevard, Harbour Quays, Wellington
41°16′40″S 174°47′04″E / 41.277742°S 174.784327°E / -41.277742; 174.784327
Agency executive Geoff Bascand, Government Statistician
Website
http://www.stats.govt.nz/

Statistics New Zealand (Māori: Tatauranga Aotearoa) is the national statistical office of New Zealand.

Contents

Organisation

New Zealand's Minister of Statistics is Maurice Williamson who serves as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and holds several other posts within government. The chief executive officer of the agency has the formal title of 'Government Statistician' and this position is currently held by Geoff Bascand. The department employs people with a variety of skills, including statisticians, mathematicians, computer science specialists, accountants, economists, demographers, sociologists, geographers, social psychologists, and marketers.[1] One estimate is that the agency has 850 full time employees.[2] A second estimate is that there were over 900 staff in 2000.[3]

There are seven organisational subgroups each managed by a Deputy Government Statistician:

  • Macro-Economic and Environment Statistics studies prices, national accounts, develops macro-economic statistics, does government and international accounts, and ANZSIC 06 implementation (facilitating changeover to new classification code developed jointly with Australian statistics officials.)[4]
  • Social and Population Statistics studies population, social conditions, standard of living, census, and has a 2011 census planning manager as well as statisticians helping to develop new social statistics measures.[4]
  • Standards and Methods studies statistical methods, statistical education and research, solutions and capabilities, information management, and develops new methodologies.[4]
  • Collections and Dissemination services clients. There is one general manager in Christchurch and one in Auckland. It develops products and services, manages publishing and customer services.[4]
  • Organisation Direction maintains contacts with key government officials, does internal audits and business planning, manages international relations and the Official Statistics System (OSS), and advises on Maori affairs.[4]
  • Industry and Labour Statistics studies business indicators, finance and performance, agriculture, energy and work knowledge and skills.[4]
  • Organisation Development focuses on services for the agency itself, including information technology management, quality assurance, application development and support, finances, corporate support, and human resources.[4]

Many of the agencies powers, duties, and responsibilities are governed by acts of the New Zealand Parliament.[5] The agency is an officially a state sector organisation of New Zealand operating under the authority of the Statistics Act 1975.[6]

Responsibilities and activities