Hon James Shaw
Minister for Climate Change

23 September 2019 PĀNUI PĀPĀHO
MEDIA STATEMENT

Statistics Minister James Shaw has welcomed the first release of 2018 Census data.

The first release of data today, 23 September, includes key data on population, regional growth, the number of homes and the size of different ethnic groups in New Zealand.

Data from the 2018 Census will support the setting of electorate boundaries, and population-based government funding decisions.

“I’m highly confident that the 2018 Census data will support the key uses of census information,” James Shaw said today.

“Census data is vital for central and local government decision-making for things like spending on health, housing and transport. It is also useful for businesses, community groups and the public.

“More generally the Census is a snapshot of our society at a point in time. It helps us to understand how our society is changing and plan for the future.

“New Zealanders will be able to see themselves in the census data – for example, how much the population has grown in the past five years and where it is growing the most.

“At recent population growth rates, we can expect to reach five million people sometime next year, up from four million in 2003.

“The 2018 Census data is the most up-to-date available and is fit for use in setting the 2020 electoral boundaries,” James Shaw said.

The first release of Census 2018 data today will be followed by a series of further releases in coming months, with all data released by the middle of 2020.

FACT SHEET:
• The first release of Census 2018 data today will be followed by a series of further releases in coming months, with all data released by the middle of 2020.
• The sets of data used to calculate electoral populations and the number of electorates have high, or very high, quality ratings.
• This information is used by the independent body, the Representation Commission, to draw electoral boundaries for the next election, in a process taking about eight months.
• The statistical methods used to create a combined Census dataset, using both census forms and administrative or other government data, have been endorsed by the independent External Data Quality Panel, which released its first report today.

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