Bayly Andrew; Rurawhe AdrianANDREW BAYLY (National—Port Waikato): Thank you Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to be talking on the Data and Statistics Bill. And I just wonder: is this as good as it gets for this former Minister of Health? And now we're talking about these lofty issues of data and statistics! I look across the other side and I see the Minister there and I know he's doing a good job. I look beside him and I see his other colleague Mr Kris Faafoi and I'm just asking myself: which is the most reforming of these Ministers these powerhouses of the Labour Party who are just going to change New Zealand for ever? I'm just not sure which one it's going to be! I can see Mr Penk giving me the old—anyway anyway turning to the bill.Wow I'm so glad you got through 10 minutes Minister. That was an impressive array of trying to work out what this bill actually does. So I'm looking forward to the other considerations from the Labour members because hopefully you're going to have to read something before you can stand up because there ain't much in this bill. There's probably two or three issues which I'll pick up on but you are right: it does repeal the Statistics Act of 1975. Well done. Well done Minister. But what does it actually do? Well that's where you start to wonder: what's the big leap forward? Well let's start about the purpose statement. OK it recognises the Crown's responsibility to consider and provide for Māori interests in data and stats—and I'm going to talk about that in a minute. It enables more effective system leadership". I'll just say that again: "enables more effective system leadership". What does that mean? That's a great statement written by someone but honestly effective system leadership in stats—oh wow; "strengthens and future-proofs the framework for collecting data for official statistics"—well I sort of get the concept of that; "modernises the framework for accessing data for research"—yeah good; "continues to provide appropriate safeguards and protections"—oh gee I hope that happens because what was the last little data breach we had just the other day? ACC was that Mr Watts?Simon Watts: The DHBs.ANDREW BAYLY: Oh the DHBs as well? OK so they're all very lofty statements. So I see the issue around Māori is what I think is the main part of this bill and this is about the Crown recognising its Tiriti o Waitangi relationships and responsibilities. So it's perhaps just worth noting what these are. It is saying "recognising the interests of Māori including (iwi and hapū) in the collection of data the production of statistics and access to and use of data for research as tools for furthering Māori economic social cultural and environmental wellbeing"—well that's good—"in the way in which data is collected managed and used for the production of official statistics and research." I presume that is in relation to Māori but it's unclear. "The Bill includes principles for engaging with Māori including that it must be early and meaningful"—mm-hmm—"should include early discussion of the most effective ways of engaging and should include consideration of opportunities for partnering. The Bill places duties on the Government Statistician to recognise and respect the Crown's responsibility to give effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi … by recognising the interests of Māori when performing their functions under this Act; and build and maintain Stats NZ's capability and capacity to understand te Tiriti o Waitangi … and the perspectives of Māori". I would have thought there was already an existing obligation—and presumably is it in hand? And "engage with Māori about collecting data producing official statistics and using data"—and I presume what is not clear is whether that is data for Māori or for all New Zealanders.And finally "foster the capability and capacity of Māori to collect and use data for statistics and research and engage with the Government Statistician"—I presume again for Māori. And "engage with Māori when preparing the multi-year data and statistics work programme; … before determining how the census of population"—and I presume it's the New Zealand population and it's unclear—"and dwellings will be taken and what data will be collected; … before providing written standards."So my first question is—the concept of Māori in this is an interesting one and I understand what the Minister just said; he's been relying on a data iwi leadership group which is good. Is that going to be the group that Stats New Zealand consults with when it's doing this Tiriti o Waitangi responsibility; or how does the Statistician go about consulting with Māori? Because as we all know there are many groups of Māori and it's unclear what that process is. The objectives are clear but it's certainly not clear about how that might take place. I note there's no mention in this for any representation of Māori to be specified and in that light I don't know what reference or skills or authority the data iwi leadership group actually is that has been providing input to this bill. So that would be an area no doubt that many people are going to be very interested in seeing to make sure that it is fully representative and that it is fit for purpose as the bill loves to talk about.The other thing is that the bill provides for greater oversight and influence on the data system by the Statistician through the establishment of a multi-year data and statistical programme. I've got to ask myself: if they haven't got that already—and I've met the new CEO of Stats New Zealand and I'm very impressed with him—if it hasn't got a four-year multi-year data and statistical programme already in place I'd be horrified. But apparently this bill provides for it. We'd be most concerned wouldn't we all of us in this Parliament including the Labour members if we didn't have it. It also gives the Statistician apparently powers to issue standards. Wow that's new! I thought they would issue standards and they have been issuing standards. And of course there's a requirement for agencies to provide information on data and statistics in the form that Stats New Zealand actually requires it—that's well covered in Part 3; that looks OK.What it does say is that Stats will be required "to conduct a review of the operation of each census" within 12 months of operation. I already thought that there was an obligation for a review of census and I remember the Hon James Shaw when he was the census Minister in the lead-up to the most disastrous census that we've had in New Zealand leading up to the 2017 election. The call for a review of that census was a howler—a howler—because it was such a poor census. So I already thought the Statistician had a right or an obligation to do that. Whether it's a 12-month—if that's the new bit in this bill this reforming bill—well that'll be interesting but I suspect it was already there. No doubt the Governance and Administration Committee is going to have a wonderful time looking at this.The bill also proposes to remove barriers in eight statutes "that prohibit or restrict the provision of data to the Government Statistician." Well that's interesting. The Citizenship Act the Commodity Levies Act the Education and Training Act the Electoral Act—wow. Well apart from that the only other major part is that the bill is going to provide "additional safeguards when overseas-based researchers access data." So I suppose this gives rise to "What is data?" We want to make sure that the data that Stats New Zealand collects is for the public good. If it's not whether it's for Māori or whether it's for commercial enterprises or whether it's someone looking to invest in New Zealand that should be of a public nature. So it'd be interesting to see how this is interpreted and what is meant by the legislation because if this ends up being restrictive unnecessarily then that will be an issue which hopefully again the Government's Governance and Administration Committee will need to turn its mind to. Unfortunately I don't sit on that committee.But it has been a very useful session coming here at 9.30 in the morning to talk about this absolutely reforming bill to be passed under urgency. Just—Hon Member: Revolutionary.ANDREW BAYLY: Absolutely I just can't wait. Maybe Mr Faafoi has got another one for us this morning but well what a waste of time. Why wouldn't we be in select committee doing something much more productive.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member's time has expired."