Thu, 20 May 2004

Statistics investment ensures taxpayer money well spent

Pre-Budget announcement of extra funding for Statistics NZ.

A Budget 2004 investment of nearly $70 million over four years will strengthen New Zealand's official statistics and save money through more accurate targeting of government spending, Minister for Statistics John Tamihere says.

Mr Tamihere announced the funding for Statistics NZ at Canterbury Manufacturers' Association's e-commerce conference in Christchurch today.

The package includes: - $20 million to improve census data collection by boosting funding for census enumerators and use of the internet. - $22.5 million to create a stronger foundation for social policy spending and evaluation. - $14 million to strengthen official statistics by improving co-ordination, access and use of statistics. - $10.5 million to develop Linked Employer-Employee Data (linking Statistics NZ's business information with employer and employee administrative data). - $2.7 million additional funding to secure new office accommodation for Statistics NZ in Wellington. - $1 million to collect better information on the economic contribution of volunteering and non-profit activities.

Mr Tamihere says the increased funding for Statistics NZ will save money in the medium and long term through more accurate targeting of government spending.

"The government must make sure we spend taxpayers' money effectively and this requires a robust system of statistics to provide accurate definition of the issues, and measurement of the effect of government policy and initiatives. While extensive data on business performance is essential, we need to ensure that its collection does not create a heavy burden on business, and this funding will go a long way to lightening the compliance load," Mr Tamihere says.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>