Parliament has unanimously agreed to fast-track the Statistics Bill 2026 to committee scrutiny.

Both government and opposition members last night supported the proposed overhaul of Fiji’s statistical laws.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told Parliament the bill will modernize the outdated Statistics Act of 1961 and strengthen Fiji’s national statistical system to support evidence-based policymaking and national development.

Rabuka says the proposed law aligns Fiji’s statistical framework with international standards while improving coordination, data quality, confidentiality and the use of digital statistical systems.

He says the bill will help ensure national decisions are guided by credible information.

“What gets measured gets managed. This bill lays the foundation for a stronger, smarter and more accountable Fiji by ensuring that national decisions are guided by credible data, trusted institutions and evidence-based planning.”

Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu welcomed the decision to refer the bill to a parliamentary committee despite it being dealt with under Standing Order 51.

Seruiratu says the move allows Parliament to conduct its own consultations and ensures members can contribute to the law-making process.

He also highlighted the shortage of qualified statisticians in Fiji, saying reliable data and statistics are critical for effective policy formulation and development planning.

“The best people to handle statistics are qualified statisticians, and there is a shortage of qualified statisticians. This is why good data and good statistics are important for effective policy formulation and evidence-based decision making.”

Government MP Professor Biman Prasad says the bill is important in strengthening the independence and credibility of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics.

Prasad says official statistics should be accessible not only to government ministries, but also researchers, academics and non-government organisations to support policy analysis and decision-making.

The motion was unanimously supported in Parliament.

The Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights is now expected to review the bill and report back at the next sitting of Parliament before the legislation is debated and voted on.