8 Mar 2023

Out for the count: What was the response to this year's census?

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 8 March 2023

Yesterday was the official Census Day  - but how many of us will actually have been counted?

Just two million census forms had been received by Stats NZ by 9.30 last night.

The 2018 Census had the lowest response in 50 years and prompted an independent inquiry into whether too much reliance was placed on people filling it in online.

This year's census has had its own challenge in the form of Cyclone Gabrielle, with affected areas given an extension of up to eight weeks.

Kathryn speaks with Simon Mason, Deputy Government Statistician and Census and Collection Operations deputy chief executive. Also Professor Tahu Kukutai from Te Ngira: Institute for Population Research at the University of Waikato.

A Census 2023 letter being removed from a letterbox.

Photo: 2023 Census, Stats NZ

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