SpeechDATA AND STATISTICS BILLThird ReadingHon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Statistics): I present a legislative statement on the Data and Statistics Bill.DEPUTY SPEAKER: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I move That the Data and Statistics Bill be now read a third time.I'm told that global sharemarkets value data more highly than physical assets and that is because good data is critical to good decision-making. I think that's no less true in governing a country and making decisions on behalf of citizens. Good data is critical to good decision-making. Alongside that I think it's critical that we have modern fit for purpose legislation that builds on and reinforces strong ethical decision-making frameworks clear accountabilities and the proud independence of the Government Statistician in the production of robust statistics. I think these things are critical for good decision-making in Governments and also for holding Government decision makers to account. Of course the data that's produced in Government is also used by business by citizens by academia and by others.It is a real privilege to be ushering the Data and Statistics Bill through its third and final reading today. Not many statistics Ministers through New Zealand's history have had this opportunity and privilege of passing legislation. In fact the current Statistics Act that we will be replacing dates back to 1975 and the third Labour Government; the Hon Mick Connelly was the Labour Cabinet Minister in this role—not quite 50 years ago. I can tell you I wasn't very old at that point in time! This Data and Statistics Bill has been carefully crafted. As I mentioned during the committee of the whole House early decisions were taken when the Hon Craig Foss was the Minister of Statistics before the development of the legislation was supported by the careful stewardship of the Hon James Shaw.New Zealanders rightly expect our national statistical agency Stats New Zealand to be a credible source of data and statistics about issues facing New Zealand. Stats New Zealand is a trusted guardian of personal and commercially sensitive information. In the last few decades national data and statistics systems have faced challenges arising from rapidly changing technologies requiring relevant systems to evolve at an equally rapid pace. The Data and Statistics Bill is a legislative response to a changing situation building a resilient and reliable data and statistics system. Government's collection stewardship and use of data is shaped by consideration for the people communities environments and organisations the data is from about and for. The new Data and Statistics Bill ensures the flexibility to draw upon sources of data other than surveys creating efficient and sustainable data-collection processes. These will be better equipped to withstand disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This more efficient system will reduce the burden on people to manually provide data for statistics without compromising data and statistics quality.For the first time in New Zealand's history our statistics legislation recognises the relationship between Māori and the Crown and the Government's obligation to work with Māori to ensure that data and statistics meet the needs of Māori iwi and hapū. Closing data gaps and improving data quality will ensure we make the right decisions to improve outcomes for these groups and that they can make decisions themselves which empower their people. We want this approach to empower Māori iwi and hapū to make decisions that will benefit their communities. The bill supports work already under way such as developing a Māori data governance model. This model will mutually benefit Māori and Government agencies by realising Māori data aspirations through effective iwi-Māori participation in the data and statistics system and supporting Government policy development that is informed by Te Ao Māori insights and innovations. At this point I do want to pay respect to my colleague the Hon Meka Whaitiri for her strong and important leadership in this area.Good data and statistics sit at the heart of democracy. The public interest is served by good data and statistics. As I've said good data and statistics are essential for good decision-making and so too are good data and statistics important to holding decision makers to account.Before drawing to a close I want to emphasise again that all data collected by Stats New Zealand will continue to be appropriately safeguarded. The interests of the people and organisations represented in or by the data used for statistics and research will be protected by appropriate privacy confidentiality security and transparency settings.With that top of mind I do want to thank members from across the House for their participation in the debates on the Data and Statistics Bill. Analysis of the bill has tested the provisions and a range of thoughtful submissions have resulted in legislation that has been approved of which I believe this House can be immensely proud. Thanks to all of these efforts we can be confident that when the Data and Statistics Act comes into force on 1 September 2022 it will deliver a robust future-focused data and statistics system and will shape our systems better into the future. It is a pleasure as I close to deliver this bill for its final reading in what is as the Hon Darren Hughes used to be fond of saying—and I suspect every statistics Minister before him—as the Minister of the only portfolio that counts the statistics portfolio it's my pleasure to commend this bill to the House.DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to.