Official Statistics System requirements
New Zealand’s Official Statistics System is defined by the Statistics Act 1975. Official statistics are defined in that Act as 'all statistics produced by government departments from statistical surveys or administrative or registration records, whether published or not'.
The Ministry’s national environmental reporting programme is an integral part of the Official Statistics System because it generates a variety of national-scale environmental statistics. It must therefore adhere to the principles of the system, which include relevance, integrity, quality, coherence and accessibility.
The Ministry’s national environmental reporting programme complies with the Official Statistics System’s principles and protocols as follows:
- By documenting the reporting programme’s underlying principles and methodologies (such as the Technical Guide to the National Environmental Indicators).
- By consistently applying best practice procedures for project management, data analysis and data audit.
- By applying consistent business processes for rigorous internal and external peer review of all reports.
- By releasing reports only after they have gone through the Ministry’s formal internal sign-off procedure.
- By providing a range of reporting products to meet different needs – from detailed technical information for expert readers, through to high-level general information for readers with little current knowledge, but who are interested in learning more.
Last updated: February 2009
