Census 2023 - How do StatsNZ decide which form to send out

Forums › Off topic › Census 2023 - How do StatsNZ decide which form to send out

PolicyGuy

1726 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#303639 24-Feb-2023 16:59

I received a big envelope with paper forms as well as how to do it online instructions - I live in Whanganui and am officially an Old Aged Pensioner.
Two of my adult children each received a small envelope with only an online Census code. One lives in the Hutt Valley, the other in Kāpiti, and both are working age.

How did StatsNZ decide which to send out?

Did they do a scarily privacy-busting data match between Local Government / LINZ land records and the electoral rolls to work out a likely demographic profile address by address?
Did they do it by mesh block based on the rate of electronic returns in 2018?
Did they take a broader brush Local Government Area or Electorate based approach?
Or ...?

1 | 2 | 3

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3041523 24-Feb-2023 18:10

In December last year I saw a guy 'snooping' around peoples houses.

After I walked around the block, I came across him again on another street. This time the guy was down someone's driveway.

I asked the guy what he was doing.

He said he is was noting down characteristics of houses. I presume this would include his estimated number of occupants, number of vehicles in the driveway and if it looked to be lived in.

I guess this is the person that would have valuated if you would complete it online or the option of by post?

I think they interrogate on every known aspect as possible and more money thrown as they have sent a person to spend a minute looking at every house.

I was wondering what he was doing as my area has had many break-ins.

Bung

6477 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3041526 24-Feb-2023 18:26

Did this guy identify who he was working for and provide id? He's more likely to be real estate or a crook (assuming a difference).

MarkM536

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3041540 24-Feb-2023 18:52

Bung: Did this guy identify who he was working for and provide id? He's more likely to be real estate or a crook (assuming a difference).

He did have an ID badge referencing to the Census but I don't know what a genuine looks like.
He also had some pamphlets about what he was doing.

Bluntj

556 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3041600 24-Feb-2023 20:09

Im sure they arent meant to snoop!!

Senecio

2710 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3041632 24-Feb-2023 21:34

Did you complete the last census by paper? They’re probably just going on how the last one was submitted for each address.

OldGeek

893 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3041637 24-Feb-2023 22:04

PolicyGuy:

I received a big envelope with paper forms as well as how to do it online instructions - I live in Whanganui and am officially an Old Aged Pensioner.
Two of my adult children each received a small envelope with only an online Census code. One lives in the Hutt Valley, the other in Kāpiti, and both are working age.

How did StatsNZ decide which to send out?

Did they do a scarily privacy-busting data match between Local Government / LINZ land records and the electoral rolls to work out a likely demographic profile address by address?
Did they do it by mesh block based on the rate of electronic returns in 2018?
Did they take a broader brush Local Government Area or Electorate based approach?
Or ...?

I am in a 'rural residential' area and a census person came to my door today. She asked how many people would be at my place on census night (March 7) and when I replied "4" she handed out an envelope with one dwelling form and 4 'individual' forms along with online access code and instruction documents. I have done everything online - the dwelling form and my individual form. I will hand the access data to all the other members of the household to fill in.

If you get stuck - take the forms to an Assistence Completion Location - I understand all Citizens Advice Bureaux qualify.

--

OldGeek.

Voyager referral code: https://refer.voyager.nz/6XQR2QG9Q

allan

2043 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3041640 24-Feb-2023 22:09

PolicyGuy:

I received a big envelope with paper forms as well as how to do it online instructions - I live in Whanganui and am officially an Old Aged Pensioner.
Two of my adult children each received a small envelope with only an online Census code. One lives in the Hutt Valley, the other in Kāpiti, and both are working age.

How did StatsNZ decide which to send out?

Did they do a scarily privacy-busting data match between Local Government / LINZ land records and the electoral rolls to work out a likely demographic profile address by address?
Did they do it by mesh block based on the rate of electronic returns in 2018?
Did they take a broader brush Local Government Area or Electorate based approach?
Or ...?

Did your children by any chance complete it online last time? I'm also in the "OAP" category and I only got the single sheet, but our household completed the 2018 Census online, so I figured they assumed we would be completing it the same this time.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

ockel

2031 posts

Uber Geek

#3043286 28-Feb-2023 14:50

Worryingly I have now received two of the one-page Census instructions, both with different household private access codes.

Both to the "Household" at the same address. While they say that they provide different access codes each time they contact you, I'm not sure why Stats NZ feels a need to contact the household twice with the same instructions. Twice the cost to undertake the census? Bigger budget and a need to spend all the money??

I have as little faith in the response rate and quality of information in this census as I did the last. Every good statistician knows that survey design and accessibility are the keys to generating an acceptable response rate. So far our Government Statisticians are getting a C- for this attempt.

Sixth Labour Government - "Vision without Execution is just Hallucination"

Mehrts

1063 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3043288 28-Feb-2023 14:59

ockel:

Worryingly I have now received two of the one-page Census instructions, both with different household private access codes.

Yea I had a smaller envelope delivered today, with the same online instructions but a different code as compared to the one which came with the big pack. Seems a bit weird 🤷‍♂️

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#3043289 28-Feb-2023 14:59

They use drones and highly trained Black Birds

Klathman

301 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3043293 28-Feb-2023 15:03

ockel:

Worryingly I have now received two of the one-page Census instructions, both with different household private access codes.

Both to the "Household" at the same address. While they say that they provide different access codes each time they contact you, I'm not sure why Stats NZ feels a need to contact the household twice with the same instructions. Twice the cost to undertake the census? Bigger budget and a need to spend all the money??

I got the same thing today. I wonder how widespread that will be. I haven't had any contact with Census officials to result in additional codes being issued.

Bung

6477 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3043294 28-Feb-2023 15:05

Mehrts:
ockel:

Worryingly I have now received two of the one-page Census instructions, both with different household private access codes.

Yea I had a smaller envelope delivered today, with the same online instructions but a different code as compared to the one which came with the big pack. Seems a bit weird 🤷‍♂️

Supposedly a potential problem with a few addresses.

"The spokesperson said this was due to a programming error that meant 95% of addresses with an apostrophe would not receive their letters. Because of this, 2300 letters were reprinted and resent."

Just use one code and toss the other.

CYaBro

4582 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#3043295 28-Feb-2023 15:06

We also got a 2nd household census letter today (rural Oamaru), with a different code.

The letters are worded differently though.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

Eva888

2427 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3043298 28-Feb-2023 15:14

Mehrts:
ockel:

Worryingly I have now received two of the one-page Census instructions, both with different household private access codes.

Yea I had a smaller envelope delivered today, with the same online instructions but a different code as compared to the one which came with the big pack. Seems a bit weird 🤷‍♂️

We received two small envelopes as well both with different numbers so I call to check which to use and why. Type in your access number it says...I begin to type and voice cuts in that the number is incorrect and to wait for a human. Waited for a number of cycles then gave up as they don’t tell you what number in the queue you are or how long wait time is, it just says your call is important and will be answered in the order of received calls. That could be 9 or 10,000. Hung up.

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#3043303 28-Feb-2023 15:20

It's a huge job, there are bound to be a few isolated hiccups. When I entered our code there was a step to verify the address. I expect this would eliminate any double ups.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

1 | 2 | 3