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February 08, 2023
Stats NZ mounts Maori push for March Census
Peter Verschaffelt
Posted On February 8, 2023
Download AudioStatistics New Zealand is on a big push to ensure Maori aren’t missed out in the March 7 census.
It has worked with the Data Iwi Leaders Group to reshape its approach to tangata whenua.
Policy advisor Atawhai Tibble says much has been learned from the failings of the 2018 Census, when the under-count of Maori meant much of the data needed by governemnt agencies had to be reconstructed from other sources.
New initiatives include partnering with iwi and holding Housie-like hui where advisors are on hand to help people fill in their census forms.
“We’re going out to events – we’ll be at Te Matatini, we’ll be in your loal area. I think we’ve learned a lot and we’ve all grown since Covid, undersanding how to engage with our people better. We need people who can get over the doorstep and our people will welcome them rather than ‘who the hell is this coming up the drive?” Mr Tibble says.
Collectors will start hand-delivering census packs next week, with the main mail-out starting on February 21 givign people the choice whether to fill in the paper form on March 7 or answer the questions online.
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