Official Statistics Systems Officials Committee

Background

The OSS Officials Committee, made up of chief executives’ representatives from government agencies, was established to: 

• advise Statistics New Zealand on issues relating to the implementation of the Top Down Review’s recommendations, such as:
  
• broadening the coverage of official statistics,
• standards, protocols and policies for Tier 1 statistics,
• the survey approval, survey notification and respondent load management processes, and
• the access and release of statistics. 
  
• providing a forum for other issues relating to the development of the Official Statistics System.

The OSS Officials Committee has: 

• endorsed the inaugural list of Tier 1 statistics 
• endorsed the ministerial approval process 
• endorsed the Principles and Protocols for Tier 1 Statistics Producers 
• endorsed the terms and conditions for sponsored surveys.

Functions

Following external consultation with individual officials, and discussion at the June 2006 meeting, it was agreed that the future role of the OSS Officials Committee will be to: 

• embed the 11 Top Down Review recommendations 
• manage and coordinate intersectoral issues on official statistics 
• advise on all the phases of the planning cycle of the Official Statistics System.

Membership

The committee is represented by senior officials from the following departments and ministries:

• Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of
• Economic Development, Ministry of
• Education, Ministry of
• Environment, Ministry for the
• Health, Ministry of
• Inland Revenue, Department of
• Internal Affairs, Department of
• Justice, Ministry of
• Labour, Department of
• New Zealand Police
• Social Development, Ministry of
• Statistics New Zealand (Chair)
• The Treasury
• Tourism, Ministry of

Meetings

The committee will meet four times a year, or, as required.