Stats NZ to ditch paper-based Census from 2030

Statistics Minister Shane Reti. (Image: NZME)

Wed, 18 Jun 2025

Stats NZ will ditch the traditional paper-based Census from 2030, Statistics Minister Shane Reti says.New Zealand will adopt a new approach using administrative data, supported by a smaller annual survey and targeted data collection, he said.“Relying solely on a nationwide Census day is no longer financially viable. In 2013, the Census cost $104 million. In 2023, costs had risen astronomically to $325 million, and the next was expected to come in at $400 million over five years.”Despite the costs, successive Censuses have been plagu...

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