Over the last decade, Stats NZ has developed a powerful tool for policy-makers and researchers alike. Known as the Integrated Data Infrastructure or IDI, it draws upon data from across the government and contains de-identified information for people living in New Zealand.

Since its development, 735 projects have used individual-level data from the IDI to monitor trends in our society, conduct research, identify inequality, fight COVID-19 and make policy decisions.

In this paper, the author investigates how the IDI helps to do better research and inform better decisions.