Benjamin Macintyre: Census trouble

Hey, you. Yeah, you. Did you fill out your census form? I expect you did.

Everyone fills out their census form. It is our sacred duty as proud New Zealanders to inform the government of our address, occupation, and favourite colour.

I expect you did your duty? Of course you did.

What was that sorry? You… didn’t? WHAT?

Kerre Woodham: Those who don't fill out a Census will get no sympathy in five years' time

Looks like Census 2023 is another failure.

Stats New Zealand is not on track to achieve its target of getting responses from 90 percent of the population.

Still time, but it seems unlikely to meet that target, despite protestations from the Minister of Statistics Deborah Russell that it's still early days.

Brian Easton: Why I Take the Population Census Seriously

The low coverage of the 2018 Population Census and Dwellings has generated all sorts of difficulties. You are told that census results are vital for allocating electoral seats and education and health funding. That is absolutely true but social researchers use its findings for many other purposes. For instance, it has a comprehensive survey of our housing stock and of people’s internal migration while it also used to guide the disability survey. Its detailed age and gender structure is vital for national and regional population projections.

(It may be especially useful for the reconstruction arising from Cyclone Gabrielle, especially for housing on the margins and isolated. Censuses are very good for dealing with such groups.)

Point of Order: Govt gives census officials more time to collect data in cyclone-hit areas...

....and goes global with appeal for recovery funds

The cleanup after Cyclone Gabrielle continues to dominate the outflow of announcements from the Beehive.

Today’s news notably includes something that had been anticipated – the Census collection period will be extended in areas impacted by the Cyclone.

Ministers have announced –

Wendy Geus: NZ Government Cancelling 2023 Census?

A headline in the Sydney Morning Herald on 27 June caught my eye: ‘Stats nerd’ Leigh in dream job on the eve of census. Newly minted Assistant Minister for Treasury Andrew Leigh was excited to release their latest census information.

What is truly amazing is that this comes a few weeks after a change of government and in the midst of an economic down turn with Covid and rising Omicron rates very much in the mix.

No excuses. They got it done, thanks to their public servants who would have been working on this during Morrison’s reign and just carried over to the new regime. That’s how governments are supposed to work: providing continuity and certainty even in the midst of a change of government.

Meanwhile back in New Zealand things don’t look so rosy.