Dear Mr Stoneley,

 

On behalf of Statistics New Zealand, I acknowledge receipt of your email
of 9 January 2015, requesting the following information:

 

§  the number of prosecutions actioned under the Statistics Act 1975,
broken down by year and size of the fine, with census and other
prosecutions reported separately

§  a copy of Statistics New Zealand’s prosecution policy.

 

Your request will be responded to under the provisions of the Official
Information Act 1982.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Sean

 

Sean Broughton |

Private Secretary (Statistics) |

Office of the Hon Craig Foss |

T   + 64 4 817 9633 (Parliament)|

M  + 64 21 244 0895 |

E   [email address] |

 

Advisor |

Ministerial Servicing |

Office of the Government Statistician and Chief Executive |

T   + 64 4 931 4755 (Statistics NZ)|
E   [email address] |

 

From: [email address] [mailto:[email address]] On
Behalf Of [Statistics New Zealand request email]
Sent: Monday, 12 January 2015 8:31 AM
To: Office of the Government Statistician & Chief Executive - All
Subject: Fw: Official Information Act request - Number of prosecutions
under the Statistics Act 1975

 

From: Liam Stoneley <[1][OIA #2380 email]>
To: OIA requests at Statistics New Zealand <[2][Statistics New Zealand request email]>
Date: 09/01/2015 06:30 PM
Subject: Official Information Act request - Number of prosecutions under
the Statistics Act 1975

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Statistics New Zealand,

Could you please provide me with the number of prosecutions, broken down
by year, you have undertaken under the Statistics Act 1975 in recent
history. Please provide this data as far back as your system allows but to
at least 10 years back.

I am interested in particular in the size of the fine (are all fines at
the maximum of $500 for an individual?).

Please differentiate Census prosecutions with normal statistics field
worker refusals.

Also, please provide any reasons or guidelines to prosecution. If the case
is that Statistics do not prosecute every refusal to participate, please
give reasons or a document that guides Statistics in determining when to
prosecute.

I am a New Zealand citizen, as required under s12(1) of the OIA 1982.

Yours faithfully,

Liam Stoneley

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[OIA #2380 email]
2. mailto:[Statistics New Zealand request email]
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Dear Mr Stoneley,

 

In your email of 9 January 2015 you requested, under the Official
Information Act 1982, the following information:

 

+ the number of prosecutions, broken down by year, Statistics New
Zealand has undertaken under the Statistics Act 1975 in recent history
+ the size of any related fines
+ any reasons or guidelines to prosecution including reasons or a
document that guides Statistics New Zealand in determining when to
prosecute.

 

All prosecutions under the Statistics Act 1975 taken in recent history
(the last 15 years) have been related to a census.

 

No prosecutions were conducted in relation to the 2001 Census.

 

For the 2006 Census, 72 cases were filed in the District Courts, 43 of
which resulted in convictions. 37 of these convictions resulted in fines –
see the schedule below. The remaining 6 cases resulted in convictions and
discharges, with no fines imposed.

 

2006 Census schedule of fines:

 

Amount $50 $80 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300 $500 Total
Number 1 1 6 5 8 5 6 5 37

 

For the 2013 Census, 99 cases were filed in the District Courts, 46 of
which resulted in convictions. 37 of these convictions resulted in fines –
see the schedule below. The remaining 9 cases resulted in convictions and
discharges, with no fines imposed.

 

2013 Census schedule of fines:

 

Amount $50 $80 $100 $150 $200 $250 $300 $500 Total
Number 2 1 10 8 11 2 1 2 37

 

Statistics New Zealand’s Prosecution policy can be found online at –
[1]http://tinyurl.com/mxyg89e. The Policy includes a section which sets
out criteria for the selection of cases which are taken forward for
prosecution.

 

I trust this information meets your needs.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Colin Marshall

Acting Director, Office of the Government Statistician and Chief Executive

 

 

 

 

Colin Marshall   |   Senior Media Advisor

Statistics New Zealand   |   Statistics House, The Boulevard, Harbour
Quays   |   PO Box 2922, Wellington 6140

P: +64 (4) 931 4630   |   M: +64 21 285 9191   |   F: +64 (4) 931 4029  
|   E: [2][email address] |

 

From: Liam Stoneley <[3][OIA #2380 email]>
To: OIA requests at Statistics New Zealand <[4][Statistics New Zealand request email]>
Date: 09/01/2015 06:30 PM
Subject: Official Information Act request - Number of prosecutions under
the Statistics Act 1975

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Statistics New Zealand,

Could you please provide me with the number of prosecutions, broken down
by year, you have undertaken under the Statistics Act 1975 in recent
history. Please provide this data as far back as your system allows but to
at least 10 years back.

I am interested in particular in the size of the fine (are all fines at
the maximum of $500 for an individual?).

Please differentiate Census prosecutions with normal statistics field
worker refusals.

Also, please provide any reasons or guidelines to prosecution. If the case
is that Statistics do not prosecute every refusal to participate, please
give reasons or a document that guides Statistics in determining when to
prosecute.

I am a New Zealand citizen, as required under s12(1) of the OIA 1982.

Yours faithfully,

Liam Stoneley

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an OIA request done via the FYI website.

Please do not send progress updates as PDF files.

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[5]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an OIA officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

References

Visible links
1. http://tinyurl.com/mxyg89e
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[OIA #2380 email]
4. mailto:[Statistics New Zealand request email]
5. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers