Access to data prior to embargoed release
Statistics New Zealand’s general policy on the official release of statistics collected under the authority of the Statistics Act 1975 applies to sponsored surveys, with the following exceptions:
a) For any new area of statistics involving a sponsor, the Government Statistician will grant the sponsoring agency(ies) appropriate access to the work in progress and final survey results for a reasonable period, specifically to assist in the preparation of the first release. This will enable the agency(ies) to make effective and immediate use of the final data following the first release. Such access will be in accordance with the provisions of section 21 of the Statistics Act 1975.
b) For all other sponsored surveys, the Government Statistician may grant the sponsoring agency(ies) appropriate access to the work in progress and final survey results for a reasonable period, specifically to assist in the preparation of the first release to enable the agency(ies) to make effective and immediate use of the final data following the first release. Such access will be in accordance with the provisions of section 21 of the Statistics Act 1975.
c) Any other release of the data to other departmental employees or their Ministers will follow the normal Statistics NZ lock-up procedures for releasing embargoed data.
Joint reports
The Government Statistician's approval is needed before the sponsoring agency and Statistics NZ make any commitment to publish a joint report.
Statistics NZ and the sponsoring agency will work together on the reports to mutually agree and take responsibility for:
- the mechanisms and timing of release of the report(s)
- a writing style reflecting Statistics NZ’s impartiality as a sponsored survey partner
- ensuring the content of the joint report complies with Tier 1 principles, protocols and standards.
While information that the sponsoring agency(ies) obtains from Statistics NZ may be freely reproduced, or quoted (unless supplied under special conditions), Statistics NZ will be acknowledged as the source of the data.
In all cases, the security clauses in the Statistics Act 1975 will be complied with (section 37, Statistics Act 1975).
The Government Statistician will formally approve the final draft of the joint report for release under section 15(1) of the Statistics Act 1975, following the joint production of the report and after a formal sign-off from the sponsoring agency.
View the Terms and Conditions for Sponsored Surveys.