Census Forms Delivery Begins

Census 2001 First Forms Being Delivered: February 2001

Census forms will be delivered to every household in the country from Friday 23 February, in preparation for Census Night on 6 March, Government Statistician Brian Pink says.

"People should receive their forms by 4 March. If they do not, they should call the Census 2001 helpline on 0800 80 2001. The helpline is operated by trained staff who are there to answer questions people may have on the census. Or they can visit the Statistics New Zealand website: http://www.stats.govt.nz/census," Brian Pink says.

Enumerators (those delivering the census forms) will wear an identity card with the census logo, their photograph and name and will carry a blue bag with the Statistics New Zealand logo on it. Everyone in New Zealand, including visitors to the country, must fill out an individual form on Census Night and one person in each household must fill out a dwelling form.

The helpline is available 24 hours, seven days a week, up until 30 March. Callers will be able to talk to an operator from 8am to 10pm weekdays and from 8am until 6pm during weekends. An answering service will operate outside these hours.

Callers may choose assistance in either the Mäori or English language. Operators are also available to answer enquiries in the Samoan, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Tongan languages. People with a hearing impairment can fax the toll-free fax line on 0800 800 082.

"Most calls to the helpline to date have been about what people should do if they are away from home on Census Night," Mr Pink says.

For these people, there will be forms available at hotels, motels, hospitals, camping grounds and on the overnight train. However, if they are going to be at a remote location they should obtain the forms before they go. People who have friends or family staying on Census Night should arrange for extra forms to be delivered.

"The principle is to count people where they actually stay on Census Night. People who are out of the country on Census Night do not have to fill in a form."

Brian Pink GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN

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