The end of the line for Census forms?

“The data we collect from forms will become less important to us over time.” Mark Sowden, Stats NZ chief executive

Filling out Census forms may become a thing of the past as Stats NZ looks to rely on already-existing information rather than the quinquennial survey.

Last year’s census was declared a success, with 99% of the population counted.

However, that number came from about 4.5 million people having filled out the forms and another 500,000 being represented through government data.

Stats NZ chief executive Mark Sowden said it was the second time that method had been used in New Zealand, the first was in 2018 after poor Census returns.

“The most important thing at the end of the day is how much data we can provide New Zealanders.

“The thing we call a Census was always designed to be a combination of the forms and this other data.”

As the quality of administrative data improved there was less need for the survey that was conducted every five years, Sowden said.

“The data that we collect from forms will become less important to us over time.

“Yes, as we get more and more of this admin data and the data is of a higher quality we definitely want to switch to using that so that we’re not going out to New Zealanders and bothering them and asking them to fill in forms if we don’t need to.”

Stats NZ will consult with the public this month about the future of the Census.

“The thing called a Census with all of the branding and marketing and things will probably disappear over time,” Sowden said. “In many cases the quality of administrative data was better than the survey, he said.

“There will always be a case for some surveying, so some going to doors asking New Zealanders for data, because there’s some data, like around mould that New Zealanders have in their houses that we’ll just never get admin data for.”

However, he said data collection through the survey was getting more difficult, and more expensive.

And Sowden said they would eventually be able to provide more regular Census information, potentially yearly, through using administrative data.