新西兰政府启动行政数据改进计划：提高官方数据质量，人口与族裔统计将更加精准
新西兰政府本周启动“行政数据改进计划”（Admin Data Improvement Plan），旨在提高政府部门日常收集数据的完整性、准确性和及时性，让这些数据能够更有效地支持政府决策。
统计部长斯科特·辛普森（Scott Simpson）表示，政府部门在日常工作中收集了大量行政数据，包括居民使用政府服务、申请许可证或福利时提供的信息。这些数据经过进一步改善和整合后，可以为教育、医疗、住房、基础设施等领域的政策制定提供更可靠的依据。
政府部门将加强数据合作
根据这项为期三年的计划，政府机构将与新西兰统计局（Stats NZ）加强合作，改善现有行政数据的收集、质量以及供应。
涉及的政府机构包括内政部（Department of Internal Affairs）、城市事务、环境、地区和交通等相关部门。
辛普森表示，更可靠的数据意味着政府能够作出更好的决策，同时地方政府、企业和社区也能够更加有信心地规划服务和进行投资。
行政数据目前已经被广泛用于官方统计，例如人口估算和经济数据等。
政府希望通过此次计划进一步提高这些数据的完整性、准确性和及时性，从而更准确地了解新西兰社会的变化。
人口居住地、职业和族裔数据将更加受到重视
此次计划特别值得关注的一点，是政府希望改善有关居民**居住地点、职业和族裔（ethnicity）**等方面的数据。
这些数据对于了解新西兰人口结构以及不同社区的社会经济状况具有重要作用。
更完整、准确的数据可以帮助政府了解不同地区、不同人口群体的实际需求，并据此制定公共服务、基础设施和投资政策。
对于包括华人在内的新西兰少数族裔社区而言，这意味着未来官方人口和社会统计可能更加准确地反映各个族裔群体的实际情况。
数据质量将影响未来公共政策
政府表示，高质量的数据不仅服务于政府，也能够帮助私营企业和其他机构作出更合理的投资和商业决策。
例如，如果政府能够更加准确地掌握一个地区的人口变化、职业结构以及不同族裔人口分布，就能够更有针对性地规划学校、医疗服务、住房、交通和其他公共设施。
该计划将在未来三年逐步实施，各政府机构将与统计局合作，落实已经确定的数据改进措施。
观察：数据不仅是数字，更是政策资源
过去公众谈论政府数据时，往往关注的是人口普查、经济增长率、失业率等传统统计指标。
但随着政府越来越依赖数据进行政策制定，“谁被统计、如何统计以及数据是否准确”，本身也越来越重要。
对于华人社区而言，族裔数据尤其值得关注。
如果一个社区的人口规模、年龄结构、职业状况以及社会经济情况长期无法被完整、准确地反映，那么政府在教育、医疗、住房、交通以及社区服务等方面的资源配置，也可能缺乏足够准确的依据。
因此，政府此次推动行政数据改进，不只是一个技术层面的IT项目，更可能成为未来政府制定社会政策和公共服务的重要基础。
数据越准确，政府对社会的认识就越接近现实；而谁能够被准确地看见，也会影响谁能够在公共政策中获得足够的关注。
Cross-government plan to deliver stronger data
Information collected by government agencies through their ordinary day-to-day interactions is to be made more useful, Statistics Minister Scott Simpson says.
This week the Government commenced the Admin Data Improvement Plan to help ensure information collected by agencies can better guide decisions in areas like education, health services, housing and infrastructure.
Administrative data – or admin data – is information collected by government agencies as part of their day-to-day interactions with people and businesses. This can include information provided when people access government services or apply for a licence or benefit.
“The Plan means agencies like the Department of Internal Affairs and the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport can work with Stats NZ to ensure the information they collect can be used to improve the completeness, accuracy and timeliness of official statistics,” Mr Simpson says.
“More reliable data means better decision making. Government, councils businesses and communities can plan services and invest with greater confidence.”
The implementation of the Plan is underway, with agencies working alongside Stats NZ to deliver agreed improvements over the next three years.
Admin data is already used extensively to produce official data and statistics, from population estimates to measuring the economy and the cross-government plan will ensure that existing framework continues.
The Plan will ensure the improved completeness, accuracy and timeliness of information to give better insights in to such things as where people live, their occupation and ethnicity.
“This plan will greatly support Stats NZ to produce useful and meaningful official statistics,” Mr Simpson says.
Notes to editors:
Read the Admin Data Improvement Plan
Stats NZ has worked closely with other government agencies and crown entities to understand existing gaps, opportunities for improvement, as well as practical actions that would strengthen the collection of admin data. This work has informed the Admin Data Improvement Plan.
The Plan sets out a coordinated effort across government agencies to improve the collection, quality, and supply of key admin data over the next three years.
Quality data helps government and the private sector to make informed decisions, target investment, and align services with the needs of communities throughout New Zealand.
The Plan is an important step towards a stronger, more connected government data system, by driving a collective uplift in the quality of admin data across government.
