The Leader Nelson edition

Census time to stand up and be counted

- CAB COLUMN:

On Tuesday, March 6, 2018, every person living in, or visiting, New Zealand is required to be part of our fiveyearly census.

Our world is very different from the first known census six thousand years ago, when the Babylonian­s counted their people and livestock as well as how much butter, honey, milk, wool and vegetables they produced.

The oldest existing census document (2 A.D) is in China, and records a population of 59.6 million. The Romans held a census every five years.

In fact, the word census originates from the Latin ‘censere’, meaning ‘estimate’. Probably the most well-known Roman census is recorded in the Bible, where several writers explain Jesus was born in Bethlehem because his father, Joseph, had to return to his home town to be counted in the census.

Europe’s most famous historic census is the Doomsday Book, undertaken by William the Conqueror in 1086. You can see government­s have taken stock of their communitie­s for a long time.

New Zealand’s Census Act 1877 requires ours to be five-yearly, and the census been embedded in government systems since our first one in 1881.

Census informatio­n is used to determine where to spend billions of taxpayer dollars.

From the data collected, they plan what services like hospitals, schools, roads, and transport are needed, and where these should be.

Councils, iwi and businesses use census data too, and community organisati­ons use the informatio­n to show funders why their service is needed and how they’d like to expand and improve what they do.

For the first time, we’ll complete forms on-line via tablet, smartphone, laptop or desktop computer, receiving an internet access code from 23rd February.

Paper forms are still available, but you must request them from 19th February onwards.

Paper forms won’t be delivered unless you order them. (www.census.govt.nz or call 0800 236 787 to order).

Questions are reviewed between censuses using a variety of means of public consultati­on to ensure they’re still relevant.

Some personal questions like name, address, sex, age, ethnicity, Maori descent, and household questions like ownership, number of rooms and occupants on census night, are required by law.

Topics that offend or annoy can’t be included, and people must be able to easily understand and complete the forms in a reasonable amount of time.

Topics include Population structure; Location; Ethnicity and culture; Education and training; Work; Income; Families and households; Housing; Transport; Health.

There’s new questions about everyone’s travel to education, not just work, a broader range of religious affiliatio­ns possible, and major changes to the disability/ activity questions.

All personal informatio­n gathered is kept strictly confidenti­al. If you need help filling your forms, bring your access code or paper copy into our office, and we can help. Forms are expected to take about 30 minutes for complete.

Citizens Advice Bureau Nelson Tasman 9 Paru Paru Rd, NelsonPh 0800 367 222 / 03 548 2117nelson­tasman@cab.org.nz www.cab.org.nz and we’re on Facebook!

 ?? CRAIG SIMCOX ?? This year’s census is taking place on March 6. The traditiona­l paper census is still available but for the first time forms can be completed online.
CRAIG SIMCOX This year’s census is taking place on March 6. The traditiona­l paper census is still available but for the first time forms can be completed online.

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