Find out about the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) and how it is used. This page includes related links for researchers who want to use the IDI.
About the Integrated Data Infrastructure
The Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) combines information from a range of organisations (such as health and education data) to provide the insights government needs to improve social and economic outcomes for New Zealanders.
With all personal information removed, integrated data gives a safe view across government so agencies can deliver better services to the public and ensure investment is made where it’s needed most. Integrated data is particularly useful to help address complex social issues such as crime and vulnerable children.
For public good – how integrated data helps New Zealanders
Careers NZ's Compare study options, which helps young people make better decisions about where their study choices can lead them, is one example of how integrated data helps New Zealanders. The Ministry of Education created this tool by using combined student loan, tax, and education data.
The value of safe data sharing is a video that shows how the Ministry of Education has used integrated data to identify the pathways of groups of students through the education system and beyond.
See other examples of how researchers are using the IDI.
See Public attitudes to data integration (published 2015).
It’s not about ‘you’ as an individual
Your personal information is never seen by researchers. This is done in two ways. First – the information is anonymised. Personal identifying information like names, addresses, and days of dates of birth are removed. Secondly, all research findings are confidentialised. This means that information is grouped in a way which makes it impossible to identify individual people.
Keeping information safe
Statistics NZ operates within a ‘five safes’ framework to ensure that access to microdata is only provided if all of the following conditions can be met:
- safe people – researchers can be trusted to use data appropriately and follow procedures
- safe projects – the project has a statistical purpose and is in the public interest
- safe settings – security arrangements prevent unauthorised access to the data
- safe data – the data itself inherently limits the risk of disclosure
- safe output – the statistical results produced do not contain any disclosive results.
The data Statistics NZ integrates
Statistics NZ’s integrated data includes information from a number of agencies that provide things such as health, education, and welfare services to the public. Along with tax, employment, and crime data, it also includes Statistics NZ survey data.
Who can use the IDI
Approval to access information in the IDI is granted by the Government Statistician when they are satisfied the information will only be used for research that is in the public interest. Research applicants must also have the necessary qualifications and experience to use the integrated data.
Information for researchers
See IDI for researchers for information relating to the data and metadata currently held in the IDI and how to access the IDI itself
History of the IDI
In December 2011, Statistics NZ successfully completed a prototype of the IDI, including economic, education, migration, and business data. The IDI prototype was replaced and enhanced by the IDI in December 2012.
The IDI was extended in 2013 to include justice sector and health and safety data.
Page updated 12 October 2015