All hands on deck to complete 2018 Census in Rotorua

Tallying up the figures in Rotoruafor the Census. Photo / File

Community groups and government organisations are doing their final push for the 2018 Census.

Stats NZ wants 70 per cent of all forms filled in online, but anyone could ask for a paper form instead.

It said on Monday more than 1.2 million people had done their Census online, with a day to go.

Rotorua Citizens Advice Bureau manager Jane Eynon-Richards said by mid-afternoon today, Census day, at least half a dozen people had come in saying they still hadn't got a code.

"They were from all over town and often older people."

She said she had a gut feeling a lot of people wouldn't do the Census this year.

"It is a shame because the results are used to allocate money and services."

Mokoia Community Association manager Leigh Richards-Ward said it had offered public computer access for those without internet or devices, promoted the importance of the Census and held a public information session with Stats NZ last weekend.

"Sometimes there are barriers to people completing it. They can have concerns about where the information goes, or accessibility problems, or difficulties reading and completing questions.

"I think this year it would also be barriers with devices, and whether people knew to look out for the codes."

She said both the online method and the paper method for the Census had strengths and weaknesses.