Statistics and Measurement
Statistics NZ measure progress in New Zealand in a number of ways. Our most comprehensive framework follows a sustainable development approach. It organises a suite of social, economic and environmental indicators in a coherent way. While this is different from Treasury's Living Standards framework, where the focus in on policy development, there are many overlaps between Treasury’s and Statistics NZ’s work. This is good news, as Statistics NZ’s aims to produce statistics and indicators that can help better decision making.
You might have your own ideas what indicators best measure how well New Zealanders are off. Before you share these with others, have a look what statistician regard as quality indicators.
Key requirements for a good indicator:
- Reflects adequately and consistently the phenomenon that it is intended to measure
- Responds rapidly and reflects changes in the phenomenon
- Is unambiguous with regard to evaluation
- Is derived from high-quality, methodologically sound data
- Is relevant to the New Zealand context
- Is easily understood and provides information useful for decision making
| Indicator Name | Data Source | Living Standards Group | Created |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Development Goals | Other | LS 0: Overarching Frameworks | 13-10-2014 |
| Regional population change | Statistics New Zealand | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 07-06-2013 |
| Ethnic diversity | Statistics New Zealand | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 07-06-2013 |
| Dependency ratio | Statistics New Zealand | LS 2: Managing Risks | 07-06-2013 |
| Fertility rate | Statistics New Zealand | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 07-06-2013 |
| Population size and growth | Statistics New Zealand | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 07-06-2013 |
| Greenhouse gas emissions by sector | Ministry for the Environment | LS 2: Managing Risks | 24-05-2013 |
| Annual surface temperature | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 2: Managing Risks | 24-05-2013 |
| Local content on New Zealand television | Other | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Number of historic places | Other | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Children attending Māori language immersion schools | Ministry of Education | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Trust in government institutions | State Services Commission | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Representation of women in Parliament and local government | Other | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Voter turnout at general and local elections | Other | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Impact of fear of crime on quality of life | Ministry of Justice | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Rate of death from assault | Ministry of Health | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Formal unpaid work outside the home | Statistics New Zealand | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 24-05-2013 |
| Cancer-survival probabilities | Ministry of Health | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Avoidable hospital admissions | Ministry of Health | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Suicide rate | Ministry of Health | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Prevalence of psychological distress | Ministry of Health | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Childhood immunisation coverage | Ministry of Health | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Prevalence of healthy lifestyles | Ministry of Health | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Health expectancy at birth | Ministry of Health | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Household satisfaction with material standard of living | Statistics New Zealand | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Housing affordability | Statistics New Zealand | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Population with low incomes | Statistics New Zealand | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 4: Economic Growth LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Income inequality | Statistics New Zealand | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 23-05-2013 |
| Real household consumption expenditure per person | Statistics New Zealand | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Ratio of debt services to export earnings | Statistics New Zealand | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Real investment in fixed capital per person | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Real net stock of total assets and of infrastructure per person | Statistics New Zealand | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 4: Economic Growth LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Access to early childhood education, by ethnicity | Ministry of Education | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Literacy skills | Ministry of Education | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 4: Economic Growth LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Participation in tertiary eduction | Ministry of Education | LS 4: Economic Growth LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Educational attainment of the adult population | Statistics New Zealand | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 4: Economic Growth LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Labour productivity | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Pay equality by ethnicity | Statistics New Zealand | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 23-05-2013 |
| Labour force participation rate | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Rate of innovation by type | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Personnel involved in research and development | Other | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Research and development expenditure by purpose | Other | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Proportion of packaging waste recycled | Other | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 23-05-2013 |
| Proportion of population with access to kerbside recycling | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 23-05-2013 |
| Solid waste disposed to landfill | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 23-05-2013 |
| Proportion of population in emplyoment walking or cycling to work | Statistics New Zealand | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Number of international flights per week | Ministry of Transport | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Total public transport boardings per person | NZ Transport Agency | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 23-05-2013 |
| Road freight intensity of the economy | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Vehicle-kilometres travelled by road, by vehicle type | Ministry of Transport | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Energy-related greenhouse gas emissions | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 2: Managing Risks | 23-05-2013 |
| Energy dependency | Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment | LS 4: Economic Growth LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Household expenditure on energy used in the home, by income group | Statistics New Zealand | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Percentage of electricity generation from renewable resources | Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Energy intensity of the economy | Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Total primary energy supply per person | Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Hill country erosion | Other | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Versatile soil extinction | Other | LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Contaminated soil sites | Other | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 23-05-2013 |
| Nitrogen and phosphorus content in soil | Other | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 4: Economic Growth | 23-05-2013 |
| Soil health | Other | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 23-05-2013 |
| Area of land used for farming | Statistics New Zealand | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 4: Economic Growth | 22-05-2013 |
| Water allocation compared with total water resource | Ministry for the Environment | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 4: Economic Growth LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 22-05-2013 |
| Bacterial pollution at coastal swimming spots, rivers, and lakes | Ministry for the Environment | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 22-05-2013 |
| Groundwater quality | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 22-05-2013 |
| Lake water quality | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 22-05-2013 |
| Biological health of rivers and streams | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 22-05-2013 |
| Nitrogen in rivers and streams | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 22-05-2013 |
| Population with drinking water meeting standards | Other | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 22-05-2013 |
| Air pollution | Ministry for the Environment | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 22-05-2013 |
| Stratospheric ozone levels | Other | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 22-05-2013 |
| Greenhouse gas intensity of the economy | Statistics New Zealand | LS 2: Managing Risks LS 4: Economic Growth | 22-05-2013 |
| Distribution of selected pest animal and weed species | Department of Conservation | LS 2: Managing Risks | 22-05-2013 |
| Proportion of assessed fish stocks below target levels | Ministry for Primary Industries | LS 2: Managing Risks | 22-05-2013 |
| Distribution of selected native species | Department of Conservation | LS 1: Future Sustainability LS 2: Managing Risks | 22-05-2013 |
| Strategic Review of health inequalities post 2010 -UK (Marmot Review) - Framework of Indicators | Other | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 04-04-2013 |
| Government debt | Statistics New Zealand | LS 2: Managing Risks | 30-03-2013 |
| Diversity of exports | Statistics New Zealand | LS 2: Managing Risks | 30-03-2013 |
| Net greenhouse gas emissions | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 30-03-2013 |
| Voter turnout at general elections | Other | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 30-03-2013 |
| OECD Better Life Index - Adjusted - Austrian Preferences | Other | LS 0: Overarching Frameworks | 30-03-2013 |
| Does Money Buy Me Love? Testing Alternative Measures of National Wellbeing | Motu | LS 0: Overarching Frameworks | 30-03-2013 |
| Real gross national disposable income per person | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 30-03-2013 |
| Unemployment Rate | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 30-03-2013 |
| OECD Better Life Index | Other | LS 0: Overarching Frameworks | 29-03-2013 |
| Graduate income premium | Statistics New Zealand | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 29-03-2013 |
| Educational attainment in the adult population | Statistics New Zealand | LS 3: Increasing Equity LS 4: Economic Growth | 29-03-2013 |
| Literacy skills in the adult population | Other | LS 4: Economic Growth LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 29-03-2013 |
| Completion of tertiary education | Ministry of Education | LS 4: Economic Growth | 29-03-2013 |
| Children living in low income households | Ministry of Social Development | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 29-03-2013 |
| 18 year-olds with a minimum of NCEA Level 2 or equivalent | Ministry of Education | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 29-03-2013 |
| Affordability of early childhood education | Statistics New Zealand | LS 3: Increasing Equity | 29-03-2013 |
| Economic Development Indicators 2011 | Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment | LS 4: Economic Growth | 18-03-2013 |
| Real household consumption expenditure | Statistics New Zealand | LS 4: Economic Growth | 14-03-2013 |
| Area of native land cover | Ministry for the Environment | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 14-03-2013 |
| Number of threatened species | Department of Conservation | LS 1: Future Sustainability | 14-03-2013 |
| Speakers of te reo Māori | Statistics New Zealand | LS 5: Social Infrastructure | 14-03-2013 |