The chair of Auckland's Independent Maori Statutory Board says it needs to make better use of the data that comes before it.
The board has called together an independent panel of eight experts to help it sift through what's important and what's missing.
David Taipari says it's all part of advocating for better cultural, social, economic and environmental outcomes for Maori in Tamaki Makaurau.
He says members can drown in data.
"We need to get it collated in order to turn it into actions and make sure something is happening with it because we get so much coming through, unless it is assessed and understood we can never implement it," he says.
Mr Taipari says often data is collected in ways that fail to ask the questons that would make it relevant to Maori.
The panel is headed by eminent social scientist Professor Sir Mason Durie and includes the head of Government Statistician Liz MacPherson, Dr Polly Atatoa-Carr from the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis, Darrin Bishop from Te Puni Kokiri, Dr Lucy Baragwanath from the Auckland Council research unit, Dr Tracey McIntosh from Nga Pae o Te Maramatanga, Dr Te Kani Kingi from Massey Univerrsity and Dr Andrew Sporle from the university of Auckland.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
