Executive Summary

Kiwis Count is a comprehensive survey which measures New Zealanders’ satisfaction with 42 frequently used public services. This report is the first in a series of quarterly updates from the Kiwis Count survey and draws on the experiences of 1,121 New Zealanders who completed the survey between February 2012 and June 2012.

Kiwis Count has changed from a point-in-time survey into a continuous survey with ongoing data collection and regular reporting. The change to a continuous survey with greater online participation provides more timely information on the quality of public services while reducing survey costs.

The Better Public Services programme is about creating a public sector that can respond more effectively to the needs and expectations of New Zealanders. Kiwis Count tracks improvements in the quality of service delivered to New Zealanders and identifies areas where the public sector needs to provide better service.

The overall service quality score for public services between February and June 2012 was 72, an increase over the 2009 score of 69.

The overall increase in service quality, from 69 to 72, is reflected at the service group level, with increases in the service quality scores for all 10 service groups. The largest improvements were in the service groups Border Services and Taxation & Business.

Twenty seven services improved since Kiwis Count 2009. Twelve of these increases were statistically significant. Six services recorded decreases in service quality, although only one, Applying for or receiving a student loan or student allowance, was a statistically significant decrease.

Kiwis Count is part of a wider research initiative which is designed to find out how New Zealanders experience public services and to develop tools through which services can improve.