'We let NZ down': Stats head resigns over census

Liz MacPherson. Photo: RNZ
Liz MacPherson. Photo: RNZ

Liz MacPherson, head of Stats NZ, has resigned following the release of a report into the botched 2018 online census.

The government statistician and Stats NZ chief executive Liz MacPherson was appointed to the role after the last census in 2013.

In the latest census, full or partial responses had been collected for only 90 percent of the estimated population, compared with 94.5 percent in the 2013 census.

In April, Ms MacPherson wrote to MPs, after being threatened with being held in contempt of Parliament, to confirm almost one in seven people did not complete the census.

The report, conducted by two independent reviewers, found the census project did not meet all the expectations and the delay in producing results and limited communication had led to stakeholder frustration and an erosion of trust.

It found there was little flexibility or contingencies built into the budget or planning schedule.

"The risks began to mount as the programme encountered challenges with IT system delivery, tacked the implications of the North Canterbury earthquake, and implemented deviations from the planned collection model," the report said.

It also found targeted populations and dwellings were not properly equipped to fully participate.

Despite there being calls for another census to be held early in 2021, the report recommended against this.

"It is in our view that a census before 2023 is unsafe - maintaining too much risk with insufficient time to properly re-design, test and implement a plan for success," it said.

Ms MacPherson said Stats NZ was too optimistic and placed too much emphasis on the online census.

She said as leader of the organisation, she took full responsibility for faults found by the reviewers.

"As the reviewers say, we got some things wrong at a time of great change during the switch to a more digitally-focused data collection approach.

"I accept the findings. We let ourselves and New Zealand down."

She will remain in her role as Government Statistician until Christmas.

The first official results of the 2018 census will be released on 23 September, 11 months later than planned.

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