The countdown begins – 12 months till census

On Tuesday, 5 March 2013 every person in New Zealand will need to complete a census form.

While the New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings is taken once every five years, the one scheduled for March 2011 was called off because of the February Christchurch earthquakes.

Statistics New Zealand’s Deputy Government Statistician Vince Galvin says that makes the 2013 Census arguably more important than ever.
“The census is our regular snapshot of New Zealand, we count every man, woman, and child, where they live, how they see themselves, where they come from, and what they do with their lives.

“Once we’ve got that information, it helps the country’s leaders decide what New Zealand will need in the future. Where will the new schools go? Are there enough hospitals, buses, trains, and roads? Where should the electorate boundaries be drawn?

“To ensure the census count is accurate a huge workforce is required.

“For the 2013 Census, around 7,000 collectors will be needed to personally deliver Internet Access Codes and paper forms to the estimated 4.6 million people living in 1.8 million dwellings.

“In Christchurch we are still working through how we will go about running collection operations in the quake-affected areas.

“Counting the population in Christchurch presents a huge challenge, but it’s incredibly important that we have good data collection so we are putting considerable effort into planning.

“As we hit the 12 month mark until census, things really ramp up with the printing of the forms, setting up of field offices, and recruitment of 7,000 collectors.

“By Tuesday, 5 March 2013 we will be ready to ask everyone in New Zealand to make sure they count on census day,” Vince Galvin said.