Privacy impact assessment for gathering and analysing submissions from the public consultation about the proposed data collection approach and content for the census

Public consultation: Proposed data collection approach and content for the census invites feedback from individuals and organisations on the design, content, and approach of the New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings.

The PIA specifically examines the use of digital tools, including Microsoft Forms, Microsoft Presidio, and the Census Submission Analysis solution (which incorporates AI models such as ChatGPT), to collect, process, and analyse free-text submissions. It considers how personal information may be collected, stored, anonymised, and used, and evaluates the safeguards in place to ensure compliance with the Privacy Act 2020, the Data and Statistics Act 2022, and Stats NZ's internal policies.

This assessment also reflects Stats NZ's obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including the responsible handling of Māori data, and outlines how transparency, human oversight, and secure technology use will support privacy protection throughout the consultation process.

The New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings (the census) is the official count of the people and dwellings in New Zealand. Each iteration of the census comes with design changes and changes to what content is included (that is, what census attributes Stats NZ will be expected to measure). Stats NZ is required under the Data and Statistics Act 2022 to publicly consult on the content for the census, as well as engage early and meaningfully with Māori.

ISBN 978-1-991307-90-3