ZB ZB
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

Government pledges $6 million to fix Census woes

Author
Newstalk ZB ,
Publish Date
Mon, 29 Apr 2019, 5:44PM
Stats NZ has also received $10 million to help towards the next Census. (Photo / NZ Herald)

Government pledges $6 million to fix Census woes

Author
Newstalk ZB ,
Publish Date
Mon, 29 Apr 2019, 5:44PM

The Government's Chief Statistician says the 2018 Census was not a write off, despite major issues. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has made her first pre-Budget funding announcement, saying the Government spend almost $6 million to fix issues with the Census.

It comes after it was revealed that around 700,000 people did not fill out or complete a Census form last year. The 2018 Census was the first one to be done online, which is believed to have been the cause of much of the issues. 

Ardern, along with Minister of Statistics James Shaw, also announced during this afternoon's post-Cabinet press conference that $10m would be provided to enable Stats NZ to get ahead of the next Census.

"The previous National-led Government decided to shift the Census to a mostly online survey and, at the same time, directed Stats NZ to cut costs over two census cycles," Shaw said.

"Stats NZ has now confirmed it will provide reliable, quality 2018 census data to calculate how many electorates will be needed for next year's General Election and to revise electorate boundaries where necessary."

Shaw says that they had to delay other work and re-allocate funds to do it, which will be covered by the $6 million. 

"There's also Budget approval this year of $10.36m to enable Stats NZ to get ahead of the next census. The money will develop the business case for the 2023 Census and start development work on it," Shaw said. 

"Stats NZ has now confirmed it will provide reliable, quality 2018 census data to calculate how many electorates will be needed for next year's General Election and to revise electorate boundaries where necessary."

Shaw said Stats NZ has "made do" with the fund it had, but the funding increase would help Stats with the survey.

Shaw assured media that "no one would be left out" as a result of the lower than expected turn out in the 2018 Census.

Chief Statistician Liz MacPherson echoed those calls. She told Mike Yardley that the Government has been able to plug the gap. 

"700,000 people did not fill out a form. Previously, that would have been a big issue, but we have been able to use good, reliable Government data to fill that gap."

MacPherson says with the extra data, they believe the number of people unaccounted for has been reduced to 58,000.

It means some statistics like household and family information is likely to be of lower quality than in previous Censuses.

"When you think about the uses of a Census, the critical things are actually about population counts, and for that purpose, the information that we have is robust." 

MacPherson defended the lengthy wait, saying it means that they can provide ministries with great data as the Census data will be combined with that administrative government data. She says they were planning to do this after the 2023, but were forced to bring that plan forward.

"The 2018 Census is actually likely to be more comprehensive for things such as ethnicity for the five main ethnic, Maori descent, age, sex, and geographical coverage from a national level right down to territorial, authoritative and local body figure." 

Asked if she should resign, MacPherson says that she is focused on the solutions and on delivering the Census results. 

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you