Stats NZ is seeking feedback on the introduction of an infringement scheme.
We are preparing to introduce an infringement scheme (the use of fees and fines) to help support the mandatory requests for information we make to people, businesses, and organisations.
We are seeking public feedback on our proposals, including how the scheme could work, and on the fee and fine amounts.
Your feedback will help create a fair, balanced, and effective system that strengthens our ability to collect data and produce high-quality official statistics for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Submissions close at 5:00pm on Monday, 6 April 2026.
Overview
Stats NZ regularly requests information from people, businesses, and other organisations to produce official data and statistics for and about Aotearoa New Zealand.
These statistics are so important that responding to our surveys and requests is usually a legal requirement.
Our approach to encouraging people to provide the information we request is focused on education, motivation, and making our processes easier:
- We aim to help people understand the value of the data they share with us, and be transparent about how we collect, store, and use data.
- We're working to streamline data collection by moving our surveys online and using more of the information already held by government.
- Enforcement is only ever used as a last resort.
Currently, when people deliberately refuse to participate in a Stats NZ survey or respond to a data request, our only enforcement tool is prosecution. Prosecution can result in a criminal conviction, but the Data and Statistics Act 2022 gives us the ability to introduce infringement offences (fees and fines) as a more appropriate alternative.
Feedback received through this consultation will help inform our planning and contribute to the creation of a fair, balanced and effective infringement scheme.
About this consultation
This consultation shares information about our work to develop an infringement scheme. It sets out our current collection processes, and the proposed design for the new scheme.
We invite your feedback on the proposals, including:
- When infringements are used
- How infringements can be used consistently, fairly, and equitably
- Proposed fee and fine amounts for people and organisations
- The costs and benefits of introducing the scheme
- The discussion document provides detailed information about the scheme and the questions we are asking.
Your feedback helps ensure the creation of a fair, balanced and effective system that strengthens our data collection, and supports high-quality data and statistics for Aotearoa New Zealand.
We'd like to know what you think
Please read the consultation discussion document and choose the consultation questions of interest to you. Questions are included in the document in the 'Our proposed design' section. You can answer every question, or just some questions.
Share your feedback on this consultation by completing the online questionnaire.
If you cannot make a submission using the online questionnaire, you can email your submission to us at: [email protected].
If you email your submission, we will notify you when the summary of submissions is published. We may also contact you if we require further information about your submission, or your submission falls in scope of an OIA. If you do not want us to contact you, please let us know in your email.
If you are Deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired, New Zealand Relay can help you make contact by phone for more information. New Zealand Relay services has more information.
Next steps
We will use your feedback to help shape the design of the infringement scheme. A summary report of the feedback received through this consultation will be published on our website in mid-2026.
We'll continue to share information about this work as it progresses.
More information
0508 525 525 (freephone within NZ)
[email protected]
