Statistics New Zealand has announced Tuesday, 8 March 2011 as the date for the next New Zealandcensus.

"The census is the official count of population and dwellings in New Zealand and gives a 'snapshot' of oursociety at a point in time. It is taken every five years and counts everyone in New Zealand on census night.The census provides key information about the people living in our cities, towns, suburbs, and ruralcommunities,” says Acting Government Statistician Cathryn Ashley-Jones.

"The information collected in the census is used to make a wide range of important decisions such as whereto fund and locate hospitals and schools, where electoral boundaries should fall, and how best to providepublic transport systems."

Cathryn Ashley-Jones says preparations for the event are already well underway.

"One of our major focuses will be to encourage as many people as possible to fill in their census formsonline," she said. "It's a quick and easy option and it means the census collectors won’t need to go back tohomes and pick up forms. At the last census about 7 percent of people filled in their forms online – in 2011we hope that at least 20–30 percent of people will complete their forms online.

"We are also working towards our major dress rehearsal early next year. This will be a comprehensive testof our systems and processes to ensure that the 2011 Census is a success. The dress rehearsal will runover four weeks in selected areas of New Zealand. It will involve approximately 8,000 dwellings.

"Closer to the time, we will remind everyone of the census date (8 March 2011) and let them know how tofill in the census forms. We will also be recruiting one of the largest temporary workforces in

New Zealand.Statistics New Zealandwill need approximately 7,500 field staff to carry out the census," Cathryn Ashley-Jones said.

Cathryn Ashley-Jones
Acting Government Statistician
27 July 2009
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