Census 2023: Counting what counts

Tuesday 7 March 2023 is Census Day. In the New Zealand Census, all New Zealanders are counted and information about them recorded. The information helps the government deliver the right services to the right places. Census data is the basis for a lot of policies and services.

We think it’s important for disabled people to be counted in this year’s census and want to encourage disabled people to participate. CCS Disability Action believes good decisions, whether they are made by local or central government, need to be founded on accurate information. Accurately counting the number of disabled people in our own communities is the basis to good decisions.

CCS Disability Action recognises that disabled people have been undercounted in previous censuses. The reasons for this undercount are unclear. On one hand, it could be an issue of not having information provided in appropriate formats. This year, for the first time, the Census has been translated to New Zealand Sign Language. It is also available in Braille, as audio, Easy Read, and large print versions.

On the other hand, it could be that the benefits of participating still remain, justifiably, elusive for disabled people. Some examples of where disability data collected by the census can be used are:

• Assisting in making decisions about the allocation of funding and resources.

• Monitoring the implementation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

• Assisting in identifying priority areas for policy intervention where social and economic outcomes for disabled people are compared to the general population.

• Undertaking research and analysis into different aspects of the lives of disabled people.

• Data for town planning and for reviewing a range of government programmes.  

We also recognise that not all people with impairments consider themselves ‘disabled’. It is still important to identify as such when filling out the Census, to ensure future supports are allocated.

Statistics New Zealand, who run the Census, aim to tell the story of New Zealand through statistics that are relevant, accessible, and trustworthy. For future decisions and planning to count for us, we need to be counted first!