Help still available for Northlanders struggling to fill out Census online

Whangarei SeniorNet volunteer Jean Hansen gives Harry Banyard, who does not have computer access, a hand to fill out his census form at the group's Whangarei base. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Many Northlanders are needing help to fill out their Census forms online but so far almost 1.3 million people nationally have done so.

This year, for the first time, Census forms are to be filled in mainly online, although people can still request a paper form to fill in. But the move to online has perplexed many, particularly elderly folk, concerned they do not have computers or access to one to fill out the form.

2018 Census general manager Denise McGregor said leeway would be given to those unable to fill out the form by March 6 and it only prosecuted people who refused to fill the form out after Census staff had carried out a number of tasks to get them to do so.

Census had partnered with Northland District Health Board and SeniorNet to provide places where people could get help to fill out their forms online.

NDHB is setting up Census booths which will contain computer tablets. Officials will be on hand to help people. The booths will be in Hikurangi, Otangarei, Whangarei CBD and Raumanga today from 10am-3pm.

Whangarei's SeniorNet will help those aged 50-plus fill out their forms at its base in Whangarei until today.

SeniorNet offices will also be able to help in Kaikohe (ring 021 0269 0382 for times); Bream Bay (09 432 7692); Kerikeri (09 407 6697) and Warkworth (09 425 9643).

By 2pm yesterday 40 people had been helped at Whangarei SeniorNet. Volunteer Jean Hansen said they also had plenty of inquiries from others finding it hard to fill the forms out online.

''Also a lot of people haven't got their forms with their Census access code yet to fill it out online. Many assume that we have the paper forms for them to fill out but we don't,'' she said.

Census said that this year, the plan was to encourage as many people as possible to take part online, and to provide a paper on request option for those who preferred it. This means that after Census day, the team can concentrate on making sure everyone else has what they need to complete their forms.

The online system will remain open for anyone who wasn't able to take part on or before today and paper forms will continue to be available upon request.

After today, any household which is yet to complete their forms will be contacted again by letter. Households which haven't completed their forms after these reminders will be visited by field teams.

After Statistics NZ has sent out reminders, its field teams will start following up with households which haven't taken part from mid-March.

As of yesterday, almost 1.3 million people had filled out the Census online.