The next Census of Population and Dwellings will be held on 8 March 2011. This report outlines the decisions of the Government Statistician on content for the 2011 Census. The decisions are based on a comprehensive process of consultation, evaluation, questionnaire development, testing, and classification reviews which are described in the report.
The 2010 Census Dress Rehearsal provides the last opportunity to test and evaluate the content decisions that have been made by the Government Statistician ahead of the 2011 Census. A 2011 Census questionnaire design report will outline the final decisions on content and will be published in late 2010.
Focus for the 2011 Census
The overall goal of the census is to produce the best possible count of the population and dwellings in New Zealand every five years, as required by the Statistics Act 1975. This, along with other related statistical information, is delivered to users through a useful and accessible range of products and services. The census is a cornerstone of New Zealand's Official Statistics System.
The strategy for the 2011 Census is for minimal change to census content, to emphasise data quality and maintain consistency, within budget constraints. Within this context the Government Statistician announced in May 2008 that there will be no new topics or questions in the 2011 Census.
This focus is a reflection of the three key elements that must be balanced across the five-year cycle of the census: time limitations, cost constraints, and ensuring data quality. The census programme operates under very strict timeframes and content development must be completed before moving into the operational phase of the census. Budgetary constraints mean that proposed content changes must be weighed against other improvements in collection and processing systems, which also offer the potential for improved data quality.
In particular, Statistics New Zealand is concentrating its efforts on encouraging the use of the Internet response option in 2011. Increased use of the Internet option is a reflection of real-world technological change and the preferences of many respondents for using electronic rather than paper forms. Analysis of the 2006 Census has shown that the quality of data from Internet forms is significantly higher than for paper forms.
Census content development also occurs alongside classification and standard reviews that are undertaken periodically by Statistics NZ. These reviews can have impacts on both the content and costs of the census, particularly where classification changes may lead to changes in the processing systems. Decisions on whether to include classification and standard changes in the census must balance the timing of reviews with the development phases of the census, and so not all changes can be incorporated. One significant review that has been recently completed by Statistics NZ is the review of the official ethnicity statistical standard, the recommendations of which will be adopted for the 2011 Census.