Sourcing and Evidence Standards

VerifiNZ adheres to a rigorous evidentiary standard to be completely transparent and to retain public trust. When we investigate topics, we rely on a strict hierarchy of sources and provide directions to our evidence and findings so our audience is able to replicate our findings at their own discretion.

The Sourcing Hierarchy:

Tier	Source Type	Examples
Primary Sources (Our Default Source)	Unedited Official Records, Direct and Undisturbed Data, Official Reports, Official Findings.	Tabled Legislation, Hansard, Treasury Reports, Government Data Websites, StatsNZ and Direct public statements.
Secondary Sources (Corroboration Only)	Expert Context & Established Records.	Peer-Reviewed Academic Journals, Independent Economic Think-Tank Data and Accredited, Non-Partisan Legal Analysis.
Excluded Sources (Strictly Banned for Transparency)	Unverified or Inherently Biased Data and Commentary.	Anonymous Leaks, Off-The-Record Hearsay, Partisan Pieces, Media Commentary, Personal or Beneficial Requests.

The Replication Standard

Every single fact-check that's completed and published must at ALL times include a transparent trail of evidence.

We link directly to the exact page(s), report(s), or dataset(s) used to verify, analyse or refute a claim.
If a source cannot be publicly linked, cited or otherwise viewed by the public or our audience, then the source will not be used to deliberate on our findings.

The Right of Reply

VerifiNZ prioritises both accuracy and the efficient delivery of all investigations to ensure public discourse is corrected in real-time. To maintain such schedules, VerifiNZ operates under a Public Record Framework.

Accountability on the spot: We analyse political statements exactly as they are delievered to the public. Public figures are responsible for providing context to statements they release publicly. Therefore, instantaneous fact checks are completed and investigated from the moment a topic is cleared for investigations to avoid delays.
The Rapid Window: For complex or high severity treated topics, VerifiNZ will extended a strict 12 Hour window for the claimant to provide their Primary Sources. If no data is provided within the timeframe, the investigation proceeds its publication.
Open-Door Updates: Our verdicts are never written in stone, and are prone to be updated as new evidence, in alignment with our standards, comes out. If a claimant is able to provide irrefutable primary source information and/or data, the investigation shall be updated in accordance with our investigation standards.
No reply from a claimant is also recorded in the investigation.

Our analysis is entirely analytical, not emotional. We do not use sensationalised headlines, politically charged adjectives, or loaded language. We present the claim, display the data, and deliver a verdict based strictly on the intersection of the two.