As per announcement from the Minister of Statistics, Hon Clayton Cosgrove, Statistics NZ's Digital Boundaries and StreetLink are now FREELY available upon request.  
View the media statement: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=29986

This announcement is of great benefits to GIS users:

• You now have FREE access to New Zealand's administrative geographic boundaries including the latest annual pattern...Meshblocks, Area Units, TA, Regional Council, Urban Areas...
• Digital Boundaries can be used with the 2006 Census Meshblock Dataset to visualise/map census data and conduct spatial analyses etc c. StreetLink can be used to geocode addresses to administrative areas for analysis purposes
  

Digital boundaries are available at two accuracy levels:  

• Level One boundaries are the most accurate, containing all of the points digitised along the boundaries. These are generally used when a very high level of accuracy is important. Level One boundaries are as at 1 January of the year and are updated and made available annually.
• Level Two boundaries have been generalised using a 20-metre tunnel width (all points rounded to one metre) to reduce the number of points along the boundaries, and reduce the size of the dataset. Level Two boundaries are the accepted standard for general mapping for statistical purposes. Level Two boundaries are as at 2006 Census and are updated and made available every 5 years.
• For more information please see our website: http://www.stats.govt.nz/statistics-by-area/regional-statistics/geography-mapping/digital-boundaries.htm

StreetLink

• StreetLink are text files containing
   a) Streets file containing street address number ranges within a meshblock.
   b) The Areas file - a concordance file linking meshblocks to administrative areas that align to meshblocks.
• StreetLink can be amalgamated using the meshblock as the concordance to geocode at the administrative level required
• The annual and census area files are available for use with the digital boundaries
• For more information please see our website: http://www.stats.govt.nz/statistics-by-area/regional-statistics/geography-mapping/streetlink.htm

For more information about the 2006 Census Meshblock Dataset:
http://www.stats.govt.nz/census/2006-census-data/meshblock-dataset-cd.htm

You are invited to make your requests known via an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or phoning Statistics NZ freephone on 0508 525 525 - in which the data will be sent to you on a CD at this stage.

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