Inner City Living Presents a Challenge for Census

2006 Census Form Delivery Update: March 2006

5 March 2006

Inner City Living Presents a Challenge for Census

With just two days until Census Day, Statistics New Zealand reports that it has had mixed results this weekend to get the final 10 percent of census forms delivered. Inner city dwellings have presented a particular challenge for collectors to ensure that everyone has census forms to fill in on Tuesday.

Government Statistician Brian Pink said the 6,400 collectors had been out visiting households right across the country this weekend to get the remaining forms delivered.

"The final push has been successful in most areas of the country, despite the poor weather. However, form delivery in both the Auckland and Wellington CBDs has been challenging," said Mr Pink.

"Census collectors are finding that a number of people in these areas are not home, so they are unable to establish contact. This is especially the case with inner city apartments, where some collectors are visiting for the third or fourth time and still finding that no-one is home." "We urge anyone who has not yet received their census forms to call the helpline so that we can get the forms to them," said Mr Pink. The helpline number is 0800 CENSUS (0800 236 787) and is available 24 hours a day.

Inner city living has been increasingly popular in New Zealand in recent years. The 2006 Census will be the one of the first opportunities to see how extensive this trend has become and understand more about the people who are living in our inner cities. Mr Pink stressed that it is vitally important, therefore, that these people participate in the census, so their future needs for services and facilities can be planned for.

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

ENDS

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