By Léonie Walker
TINZ Member with Delegated Authority – Data Ethics
Ethical guardrails are essential for all aspects of public data collection and use.
In New Zealand, more and more of our personal information is being digitised and connected through the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). This system links data from across our lives — including health, tax, education, welfare, driver licences, and passports, to name just a few.
These connections create huge opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced algorithms to analyse and use this data in powerful new ways. However, this rapid progress is happening with little public discussion about the potential risks and benefits.
Particularly in the criminal justice, healthcare, welfare, and education sectors, the consequences of inaccurate or biased data can be serious. To maintain public trust, there must be strong transparency, accountability, and integrity in how these tools are developed and used.
These issues are being addressed across several government settings including the Government Chief Data Steward, within MBIE and Stats New Zealand. Their focus is on creating ethical frameworks grounded in four key principles:
- Privacy
- Transparency
- Bias and discrimination
- Accountability
These frameworks aim to prevent issues such as privacy breaches, excessive data collection, algorithmic bias, data misuse, and widening gaps in digital equity.
Transparency plays a central role. It’s vital that the public understands how data is collected, used, and shared, and how automated decisions are made. This communication must take into account varying levels of data literacy, helping people grasp the processes, rights, risks, and limitations involved.
At the same time, data security and data sovereignty — particularly Māori data sovereignty — must be urgently protected. Many hosting platforms are owned or located overseas, raising concerns about who ultimately controls New Zealand’s data. The growing commercialisation of personal information adds another layer of risk.
We’ve already seen how vulnerable key systems can be. The Waikato District Health Board ransomware attack showed how critical services can be disrupted by cybercrime. And globally, the Cambridge Analytica scandal demonstrated how large-scale data misuse can threaten democracy itself, spurring overdue conversations about data ethics and the political influence of social media.
Conclusion
These examples — and many others — highlight the need for caution, oversight, and constant investment in secure, ethical systems. Maintaining the public’s social licence for digital progress depends on it.
Finally, improving digital and data literacy at every level — from Parliament to the playground — is essential if we’re to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape responsibly.
About Léonie Walker
Wellington-based, recently retired research, public health and policy professional with a history in health laboratory science, NHS research and management and 16 years NZ research and policy work within university teaching, public service and health workforce sectors. She was appointed a Member with Delegated Authority by the TINZ Board earlier this year.
