12. Question No. 12—StatisticsDr JIAN YANG (National) to the Minister of StatisticsQuestion No. 12—Statistics12. Dr JIAN YANG (National) to the Minister of Statistics: Does he stand by his statement regarding Census 2018 that the input was sub-optimal but the output is optimal"?Hon JAMES SHAW (Minister of Statistics): Yes.Dr Jian Yang: Is he aware that Statistics New Zealand changed the definition of non-response for Census 2018 and that if the past definition were applied to Census 2018 the response rate of the census would actually drop from 90 percent to 85 percent?Hon JAMES SHAW: It's obvious that over the course of the last 12 months since the census a great deal of work has gone on to make sure that the output of the census is optimal—as I was explaining—and that that has involved a great deal of work that would have been normally scheduled for the 2023 census and has effectively been brought forward.Dr Jian Yang: Will the results from Census 2018 be able to specify the address on census night of the 10 percent of New Zealanders who were not included in any 2018 census form?Hon JAMES SHAW: Well I would have to check with Statistics New Zealand on that because I think that's an operational matter. But if I could hazard a guess I would say that one of the most important functions of a census is actually that people's personal data is protected and that actually people's personal addresses and so on are not available as a result of the publication of census data.Dr Jian Yang: How can secondary data sources capture the specific address of New Zealanders on census night when data provided to Government organisations like hospitals may have been provided months or years before census night?Hon JAMES SHAW: Statistics New Zealand have said that they have compiled what they consider to be the most accurate population count file according to the business plan that was signed off by the last Government in 2015 which specifically called for the use of administrative data over the coming censuses. So what they have done is exactly what the previous Government called for them to do in the next census and they've simply brought that work programme forward. The population count file is the most accurate that it has ever been and that is because of the work that they have done over the course of the last 12 months. Now the methodology that Statistics New Zealand have used to compile this population file has been independently reviewed and the methodology that they used to compile both the population-level sets and then all of the other data sets that go out—those methodologies are also published alongside the data when it's released. That is available for academics and anybody else to critique at the time. That's standard practice and has happened at every other census in recent times.Dr Jian Yang: How can the public have confidence in election boundary information for the next election when a high proportion of people may have moved between the time secondary data was captured and census night?Hon JAMES SHAW: Well as I said Statistics New Zealand have said that they have the most accurate population file ever and that the—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Of course they're going to say that.Hon JAMES SHAW: Minister Brownlee is asking questions again. So should I respond to Mr Brownlee or Mr Yang?SPEAKER: I've generally found that pointless.Hon JAMES SHAW: As they have said the most important uses of the census are electorates electorate boundaries population-based funding—for example district health board funding—and school deciles. This census looks to be more accurate than the output of the 2013 census. In response to Mr Brownlee's specific point: if he's worried about why it is that the public is losing confidence in New Zealand's system of national statistics it would help if Mr Brownlee and his colleagues stopped trying to undermine public confidence in our system of national statistics. Otherwise the next time they get into Government they won't be able to rely on a single statistic and will not have the trust of the public to make any decision at all. Otherwise he's just going to have to make up every single decision based on gut instinct alone.Dr Jian Yang: Do I have more questions?SPEAKER: Oh go for it. Everyone thinks we're making a lot of progress here!Dr Jian Yang: If the data on who is Māori is sub-optimal will he consider simply asking his ministerial colleague Willie Jackson to tell us all who is and isn't a real Māori?Hon JAMES SHAW: I think we're in dangerous territory there. Māori ethnicity and Māori descent is more accurate in this population file than it has ever been before. The gap is in iwi affiliation data. In other words when somebody in our administrative data has identified as Māori either by ethnicity or by descent the next question that we need to ask is "And which iwi do you affiliate to?" And Statistics New Zealand are now working with both iwi and other Government agencies to ensure that we start to collect that data to make sure that in future we've got a more accurate file. As I said in response to questions yesterday and before Government agencies have in fact never been terribly good at gathering iwi affiliation data. The fact that there is a weakness in our national data set does indicate that we've got more work to do there. But when it comes to Māori ethnicity and descent this population file is more accurate than it has ever been before.Dr Jian Yang: Can I have one more?SPEAKER: Oh at least!Dr Jian Yang: Is the Minister concerned that Census 2018 will not be able to accurately report the religious affiliation of New Zealanders?Hon JAMES SHAW: Sorry I couldn't hear part of his question over his colleagues' comments.Dr Jian Yang: Is the Minister concerned that Census 2018 will not be able to accurately report the religious affiliation of New Zealanders?Hon JAMES SHAW: I'd have to take advice on that specific point from Statistics New Zealand. As the Government Statistician said on Monday there are some gaps in the data below the level of the general population count and they will be publishing those later on in the year. So I don't have a list of all of the areas. Religion will be one of the ones I can ask about on his behalf.Dr Jian Yang: I seek leave to table a report titled Census 2018: A Multifold Debacle to assist the Minister in understanding the census.SPEAKER: Whose report is it?Dr Jian Yang: My report.SPEAKER: Your report? I'm going to give the member a chance to apologise for that. If he was a more senior member he would be leaving the House. That is a gross breach of the procedures of the House. Dr Jian Yang: I apologise.Hon James Shaw: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: I'm putting the member on warning that it better be a proper point of order.Hon James Shaw: Well I mean I actually would be very curious to read the member's report. I would ask leave of the House that it is actually tabled so that we can read it.SPEAKER: Well the member can't."