We are inviting you to have your say on what the census could look like in Aotearoa New Zealand from 2028 and beyond.
Our census must evolve to continue to deliver 'for Aotearoa, about Aotearoa' for generations to come. That's why it's important we hear from New Zealanders and anyone who calls Aotearoa New Zealand home about what matters to them, their family or whānau, and their communities.
This is your opportunity to tell us what works well and what hasn't worked well - and how the census could serve you better in the future.
Alternate formats for the Future Census consultation has downloadable files in Audio, Braille, Easy Read, Large Print, and links to view videos in NZSL.
Translations for the Future Census consultation has downloadable files in te reo Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Fijian, Niuean, Samoan, Tokelauan, Tongan, Tuvaluan.
Helping you understand the future of the census
We have put together some material to help you tell us what you think.
The public consultation document asks 10 questions about modernising our approach to the census. It also explains the opportunities and challenges we see ahead, along with real-life examples of the changes and ideas we're keen to hear your feedback on.
You will also find a shorter 'summary' document to give you an overview of how we could rethink, evolve and even simplify the next census and beyond.
Everything is designed to guide and inform you about modernising our approach to the census - whether or not you choose to make a submission.
How to share your views
We encourage you to read the consultation document and think about the questions that are of interest to you before making a submission.
We want to know how you feel about changing how we do the census, including reusing existing data, supported by surveys. We want to hear about the things that are most important to you like frequency, the time it takes to do the census and cost. You're also encouraged to share what data needs are important to you. However, there is an open invitation for people to give feedback on any aspect of the census - look for the question - "Is there anything else you want to say or share with us?"
This is your opportunity to provide valuable feedback on what's been working well and what could be done better. You can answer some or all of the questions.
You can make your submission via:
- The online form
- By phoning 0508 525 525
Please note that submissions close at 5pm, 18 June, 2024.
Tell us what you think
Read our privacy statement which has more details about how we mange your personal information.
If you have questions about the way we manage your information, you are welcome to contact Stats NZ at [email protected] and 0508 525 525.
How we look after your personal information
If you send us a submission, we will keep it in our official records. We may share it on our website, talk about it in information we publish, or use it to help design work in the future. We do not plan to identify or name individual people when we publish information from this consultation, but we may name groups or organisations. However, there may be some situations where we may have to name individual people. If you do not want us to publish your name or anything that could show who you are, just let us know.
In the submission form, we will ask you for your contact information, like your name, phone number or email. You don't have to share this with us, but it can help us get in touch with you if we need more information about your submission. You can check the personal information you give us at any time and ask to correct it if you think it's wrong.
If we receive a request under the Official Information Act that includes your submission, we might have to share it. We'll talk to you about this if you have provided your contact information.
The information you give us is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 2020. If you want to know more about this, you can check out the Ombudsman's website and the Privacy Commissioner's website.
Information in the free-text fields is summarised before we publish it. However, please do not include any personal information (such as your name or job title) about yourself or anyone else in the free-text fields for each question.
Stats NZ stores responses from this form on an Australian cloud-based server.
If you have questions about the way we manage your information, you are welcome to contact Stats NZ at [email protected] and 0508 525 525.
