(1) Spatial Organisation of Data: choosing boundaries for profile and scale

Setting boundaries for a study requires drawing on local knowledge, and relate to how the people in the area think and act on boundaries. Unfortunately, there seldom is a clear consensus on this. How boundaries might relate to the boundaries of statistical collections is an important consideration. For Statistics NZ generally (and specifically the census) the smallest spatial unit are Meshblocks which are used as building blocks, aggregating to larger areas such as area units, urban areas, territorial authorities and regional councils.

The diagram below illustrates the Stats NZ geographical hierarchy.

Community profiling is often carried out at the Area Unit level. Web-maps of spatial boundaries are available at:
http://www.stats.govt.nz/census/census-outputs/boundary/default.htm
http://www.nowwhere.com.au/StatsNZ/Locator/Default.aspx

But much official data is only available at much higher spatial levels, and other government – let alone non-governmental - statistical agencies may use quite different boundaries. Some available concordances include linking meshblocks to: District Health Boards, Police Districts, Parliamentary Electorates etc. A typology of type of urban/rural status of a area unit, and whether or not the area is adjacent to the coast is also available.

Community profiles may focus on one particular community, but other profiles may include examining sub-areas within a community, and it is also useful to include in a profile contextual information for a higher-level grouping: e.g. a local authority, region or New Zealand as a whole.