Te Mana Whakatipu supported Census collection pilots in those regions, with local iwi spearheading efforts to encourage and support whānau in completing their Census forms. Many of these whānau had never participated in a Census before, making the programme’s achievements even more remarkable.
One notable success story comes from Te Whānau a Apanui, where Census participation exceeded expectations, achieving an estimated 92 percent response rate.
“Through hapū-based kōrero, a whānau-first approach and employing local collectors who know and are a part of our whānau, we knew we could deliver the Census with trust and achieve our goal — and these results are outstanding,” Te Rūnanga o Te Whānau chief executive Rikirangi Gage said.
Census participation rates in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa reached an estimated 83 percent. Despite facing challenges posed by Cyclone Gabrielle, the community rallied to support Census collection efforts alongside relief response for whānau.
“We saw the proven results of an iwi-led approach through Covid-19, where iwi rallied together to support not only whānau but also their wider communities,” Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou (Toitū Tairāwhiti) chief executive George Reedy said.
“This time, it was about applying that same concept to Census collections. More than just understanding our area, we are part of the fabric in the tapestry of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa. Our connections within our rohe enabled us to engage authentically and organically with our people, which really resonated.”
The project involved recruiting Census collectors on the ground here. They checked in with people to see if they needed help to fill in their surveys and were able to sit with them to work through the Census papers. This took the pressure off whānau who were busy, as well as helping those who did not speak English as a first language, and others who just needed a little support.
Strategic efforts culminated in Ōhua achieving an estimated 73 percent response rate in one of the most complex regions in the country to collect information and data, despite facing challenges posed by Cyclone Gabrielle. Their success story exemplifies the power of building local data collection capabilities.
Bree Davis, chief executive of Te Rūnanga o Whaingaroa (Ōhua), said: “Our focus has always been on the long-term transformational change we’ve ignited within our community. We’ve not only strengthened our data collection capabilities but also forged stronger connections and understand our community in entirely new ways.”
Te Mana Whakatipu’s pilot programmes incorporated community engagement events, including hapū Census evenings, community wānanga and whānau days at marae and in the community. These events allowed whānau to complete their forms and connect directly with Census teams, reinforcing the importance of data collection for iwi and their communities.
“Even with the challenges of Cyclone Gabrielle and declining global rates of Census participation, these are absolutely impressive results, which clearly reinforce what can be achieved when iwi deliver for their own people, in their own way,” data lead technician Kirikowhai Mikaere said.
Te Mana Whakatipu remains committed to empowering iwi by further developing iwi data capability and capacity. This includes investments in workforce development, iwi data governance, digital capacity development, and data technician mentoring.
“Building our data capability and capacity is not just about the present, it’s about preparing our mokopuna to build and design data for the future they face,” Ms Mikaere said.
“As iwi Māori reclaim our role as designers, users, and navigators of data, we will see iwi, hapū, and whānau thrive.”
Census data will now undergo processing and analysis by data experts at Statistics NZ over the several months needed to produce final data from the 2023 Census. This process will include using administrative data, data from previous censuses, and statistical methodologies to fill gaps in what has been gathered through the field collection operation.
“The 2023 Census will be successful because it was designed to flex and adapt to risks such as a low response. Activity now focuses on using other data sources and methodologies so that the final 2023 Census data set represents around
97–98 percent of Aotearoa New Zealand and is of the highest quality possible,” Stats NZ chief executive Mark Sowden said.
“By employing this model by design, the overall coverage and quality of the 2023 Census will produce products and services users of Census data will need.”
Stats NZ plans to release the first data at the end of May 2024. This first release of data will include national and regional population and dwelling counts (which is the primary objective of a census) and Māori descent counts.
Work is already under way to learn from the 2023 Census and to look at how to design the 2028 Census for success.
Who uses census data?
It’s important that accurate information gets to decision-makers, so resource and funding is allocated to the needs of our whānau and communities. But who are the decision-makers and what could the information be used for?
Iwi services: Te Tairāwhiti iwi may use Census information to help plan for future generations, and may influence funding, services and more.
Housing: Councils and government use Census information to understand whether homes in Aotearoa are big enough for our families, where we need to build new housing, and what condition people’s homes are in.
Roading and Transport: Government and councils use Census data to understand where public transport, roads, power, internet, water, and sewerage services are needed and how many people will be using them.
Education: The Government uses Census data to understand how it will fund schools in Te Tairāwhiti including teachers, and where schools will be.
