Strong demand for census information

Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner says information from the 2013 Census has resulted in a record number of New Zealanders downloading and using statistical information.

In the past financial year there were more than 2.5 million visits to Statistics New Zealand’s website, an increase of 320,000 on the previous year.

“A big driver behind that growth was the release of 2013 Census data, which is used by individuals, communities, business and government to make informed decisions.   In government’s case, it helps determine where billions of dollars of funding is spent on things like roads, hospitals and schools.

“People were also very interested in national level data like inflation, trade, travel and migration numbers, but we are also seeing an increasing demand for information on areas where people live, work and play,” Ms Wagner says.

Statistics New Zealand has also committed to creating engaging and interesting statistics, such as New Zealand as a village of 100 people.

“Delivering information in innovative and relevant ways encourages people to use statistics, and we are seeing New Zealanders interacting with government in an increasingly digital, responsive and personalised way,” Ms Wagner says.