Census 2018 will be happening today (6th of March).

Census is a survey run by the government to find out key information about citizens nationwide. Questions asked include your personal details, your place of residents, health and work status, etc. There is also a dwelling form to be filled out regarding your place of residence.

It is important that the census surveys are completed by all New Zealand citizens, to ensure that the overall results are as accurate as possible. New Zealanders are required to complete the survey by law. We cannot stress the importance of completing your census form. Failing to do so can lead to getting fined. 46 people were convicted after they failed to complete their census in 2013, and fined up to $500.

If you will be outside New Zealand tomorrow evening, you do not need to complete a census form. However, if you’re not a resident of New Zealand and are only visiting, you will need to complete one.

The information that comes out of the census is put towards making decisions such as where billions of dollars of government funding will go. It is also used to decide which services are needed in the community, and the whereabouts of them. Information is used by a number of different groups which include councils, community groups, iwi and businesses.

Census in NZ has been going since 1851, with 33 census surveys being completed since then. This year, census is online, and can be filled out using the access code sent to you in the mail. It only takes about 20 minutes complete.

To fill out the New Zealand census, or find out more information, visit the website https://www.census.govt.nz/