‘Brilliant’ Census uptake in Tairāwhiti

An estimated 42,500 people completed the Census in Tairāwhiti this year, an increase of about 4 percentage points on 2018. Census taskforce team member Stacey Reeves helps Ira Henare and Selvi Joseph Mohan with their forms at Te Tini o Porou — an operations base for Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou. Picture by Liam Clayton

The leader of a taskforce designed to deliver this year’s Census to cyclone-hit communities says her team gave their all to raise the response rate. 

In March, Stats NZ announced it was setting up Te Ahu Kauawhi — a locally led taskforce in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay — to help boost Census uptake and support people completing their forms.

Census day was March 7 but those in areas covered by Te Ahu Kauawhi were given a later collection date of June 1 for their paper forms.

Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting, Te Ahu Kauawhi lead Annette Papuni-McLellan said she was buoyed by the efforts of her group.

“Our teams on the ground were just awesome. They went in with a careful, considered approach and our results were brilliant.

“We were never going to be perfect but we certainly gave it our best shot.”

Ms Papuni-McLellan said it was encouraging to hear stories about people completing the Census for the first time in their lives.

She hoped the data would make a difference in the recovery and rebuild of the region.

“I hope that it makes a difference that’s needed. And it helps the Government make those really crucial decisions about the state of the roads and about the infrastructure.”

According to figures provided by Stats NZ, the most recent population estimate for Tairāwhiti was 52,100 people as at June 2022.

An estimated 42,500 people — or 82 percent of the region — completed this year’s Census, which was an increase in participation of about

4 percentage points from the last Census in 2018.

Ms Papuni-McLellan said her main focus coming into Te Ahu Kauawhi was to raise the response rate, which was a challenge for Tairāwhiti because of geographical barriers and bad weather.

Explaining the benefits of the data was key to increasing participation in sceptical pockets of the community, she said.

June 30 was the nationwide deadline for paper forms to be received or online completion of the Census.

The first release of 2023 data is planned for May 2024, and will include high-level counts of the population, dwellings and Māori descent.