Should the 2011 census be delayed?

Forums › Off topic › Should the 2011 census be delayed?

tombrownzz

147 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

# 77428 16-Feb-2011 08:05

The 2011 census is happening on 8 march 2011. Should the census be delayed until march 2012 because thousands of people are displaced in Christchurch and some have moved out of christchurch and haven't come back because of the aftershocks so if the government looks at census data for things like roads it will mean christchurch people temporarily living in Auckland will counted in the auckland region and christchurch will miss out.

If anyone agrees with it being delayed until next year, can you tell me what the text of my email I should write to the Minister, Mayor, and Christchurch recovery minister:

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/maurice-williamson

http://www.ccc.govt.nz/thecouncil/mayor/index.aspx

http://www.national.org.nz/MP.aspx?Id=19

1 | 2

4188 posts

Uber Geek

# 440092 16-Feb-2011 08:43

I doubt it will cause major problems, the Census records were you live currently, also where you usually live, and where you lived 5 years ago,

I would expect most people who are currently displaced to record their Christchurch address as where they usually live.

rscole86

4354 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

# 440104 16-Feb-2011 09:08

I doubt, that one month out, you would be able to delay the census. Too much time/money has gone into organising it, and getting volunteers.

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

# 440168 16-Feb-2011 10:54

No it should not be delayed. If there it is delayed a year then it messes up the statistics.

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek

# 440170 16-Feb-2011 10:58

A single additional question would solve any displaced person issues. And that doesn't upset the rest of the process

minimoke

726 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 440251 16-Feb-2011 13:43

... it will mean christchurch people temporarily living in Auckland will counted in the auckland region and christchurch will miss out.

These people could well be off set by the Assessors, Engineers and trades people who are coming into Christchurch to fix things up

mattwnz

15277 posts

Uber Geek

# 440266 16-Feb-2011 14:16

tombrownzz: The 2011 census is happening on 8 march 2011. Should the census be delayed until march 2012 because thousands of people are displaced in Christchurch and some have moved out of christchurch and haven't come back because of the aftershocks so if the government looks at census data for things like roads it will mean christchurch people temporarily living in Auckland will counted in the auckland region and christchurch will miss out.

If anyone agrees with it being delayed until next year, can you tell me what the text of my email I should write to the Minister, Mayor, and Christchurch recovery minister:

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/maurice-williamson

http://www.ccc.govt.nz/thecouncil/mayor/index.aspx

http://www.national.org.nz/MP.aspx?Id=19

It is supposed to be a snapshot of society at a particular time, so it definatey should be done as normal. If it is delayed it will throw off all the previous years results and make it difficult to compare things.It is really no different from all the NZers who have left to work in Oz due to the recession, it represent the social/financial and physical conditions of NZ at this time.

Whose idea was it to even consider delaying it, as it doesn't sound like they understand how statistics work?

tombrownzz

147 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

# 440333 16-Feb-2011 16:47

Population information from the census helps determine how billions of dollars of government funding is spent in the community. It is used to make decisions about services such as:

hospitals

schools

roads

public transport

recreational facilities.

http://www.census.govt.nz/about-census.aspx

So if people who's homes are un-livable in christchurch are living in Auckland it will mean christchurch will get less money for roads, etc.

lol check this out:

Everyone spending the night of Tuesday, 8 March 2011 in your home needs to complete a blue Individual Form, or have one filled in for them, including babies, children and visitors. What's stats nz going to do? Fine the baby?

Hey is taking part in the face to face followup surveys mandatory?:
http://www.census.govt.nz/help/follow-up-survey.aspx

sbiddle

28436 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

# 440372 16-Feb-2011 18:27

tombrownzz: The 2011 census is happening on 8 march 2011. Should the census be delayed until march 2012 because thousands of people are displaced in Christchurch and some have moved out of christchurch and haven't come back because of the aftershocks so if the government looks at census data for things like roads it will mean christchurch people temporarily living in Auckland will counted in the auckland region and christchurch will miss out.

What % of Christchurch's population is currently living in Auckland?

tombrownzz

147 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

# 440401 16-Feb-2011 19:00

sbiddle:
tombrownzz: The 2011 census is happening on 8 march 2011. Should the census be delayed until march 2012 because thousands of people are displaced in Christchurch and some have moved out of christchurch and haven't come back because of the aftershocks so if the government looks at census data for things like roads it will mean christchurch people temporarily living in Auckland will counted in the auckland region and christchurch will miss out.

What % of Christchurch's population is currently living in Auckland?

I don't know but late last year reports said there were 'thousands' of buildings that may need to be demolished:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10691314

As of february this year there are still thousands of people that are homeless:

http://www.3news.co.nz/Owners-of-condemned-homes-told-to-mow-lawns/tabid/817/articleID/197023/Default.aspx

As of February this year about 60,000 homes still need to be repaired:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/christchurch-earthquake/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502981&objectid=10704206

I also saw some news articles of people sending their kids to other cities to go to school. People from Christchurch may have temporarily moved all over New Zealand like Dunedin, Nelson, Wellington, etc.

mattwnz

15277 posts

Uber Geek

# 440815 17-Feb-2011 17:42

tombrownzz: Population information from the census helps determine how billions of dollars of government funding is spent in the community. It is used to make decisions about services such as:

hospitals

schools

roads

public transport

recreational facilities.

http://www.census.govt.nz/about-census.aspx

So if people who's homes are un-livable in christchurch are living in Auckland it will mean christchurch will get less money for roads, etc.

lol check this out:

Everyone spending the night of Tuesday, 8 March 2011 in your home needs to complete a blue Individual Form, or have one filled in for them, including babies, children and visitors. What's stats nz going to do? Fine the baby?

Hey is taking part in the face to face followup surveys mandatory?:

http://www.census.govt.nz/help/follow-up-survey.aspx

I can understand that. But due to the earthquake, I am sure that they will take things like spending into consideration, and far easier for them to do that, than to delay the entire census for the entire country. There is already going to have to be huge spending in CC over the next 5 years to fix it's infrastructure, so it definitely will not miss out.

mattwnz

15277 posts

Uber Geek

# 440816 17-Feb-2011 17:43

tombrownzz:

I also saw some news articles of people sending their kids to other cities to go to school. People from Christchurch may have temporarily moved all over New Zealand like Dunedin, Nelson, Wellington, etc.

That is possibly why there is such a demand for rentals at the moment, esp in auckland.

tombrownzz

147 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

# 442515 22-Feb-2011 19:39

Anyone had a change of heart after today's earthquake in christchurch? It's worse than the first one. I think I saw on the news John Carter from the government saying he thinks people should leave christchurch.
I think the 2011 census really really needs to be delayed until march 2012.

sbiddle

28436 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

# 442522 22-Feb-2011 19:57

tombrownzz: Anyone had a change of heart after today's earthquake in christchurch? It's worse than the first one. I think I saw on the news John Carter from the government saying he thinks people should leave christchurch.
I think the 2011 census really really needs to be delayed until march 2012.

You still haven't given any real reason why the Census should be delayed. Christchurch is not all of NZ.

What data will be significantly skewed that should force a change?

MickeyD

69 posts

Master Geek

# 442532 22-Feb-2011 20:40

Surely anyone involved in planning hospitals, schools, roads, public transport or recreational facilities will be aware of the limitations of census data.

Given that a census is snapshot in time, the information should be read as that; and factor to consider is that it's a snapshot from when likely thousands were not living in their usual dwelling. Yes, information from the census is important but it is only one part of the information that these decisions are based on. Projected growth is at least as important as the present situation.

I suspect that information from the census will have little to do with funding decisions for roads around Canterbury for the foreseeable future...

So I agree with all the replies - that's no reason to delay. I guess it may prove more difficult to distribute and collect the forms though...

Lizard1977

1418 posts

Uber Geek

# 442806 23-Feb-2011 16:13

FYI - the delivery of Census forms has been delayed until midday, Friday 25 February.

I think this has more to do with the practicality of delivering forms with so much infrastructure down, rather than a consideration for skewed results...

1 | 2