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Data used to track census laggards
A south Auckland community activist says the area missed out on $50 million in government funding over the past five years because of the estimated 24,000 people who failed to fill in the last census.
George Ngatai, who is working on the census for Statistics New Zealand, says a large number of people in Tamaki Makaurau have already filled in the census online, ahead of the deadline next Tuesday.
But in the past the 3 percent of people who typically don’t participate have included a high percentage of Maori and Pasifika.
That affects population-based funding for services like health and education in places like Clendon, Mangere and Otara.
"You can actually see where these areas are that people don't see a high priority in having a census. We are putting a lot more emphasis into those areas. We've got over 100 people going house to house just to make sure people are familiar with the information, familiar with why we have census and are able to complete it, whether it be online or paper based," Mr Ngatai says.
Statistics New Zealand will set up community hubs early next week where people without a computer in the home can complete the census.
People who have not received their census notification can call 0800 census, that’s 0800 236 787.
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