New Zealand Cancels 2028 Census, Shifts to Admin Data

New Zealand will abolish its traditional five-yearly Census from 2030 and has cancelled the 2028 Census, transitioning instead to using administrative government data and annual surveys for population statistics. Statistics Minister Shane Reti says this move will save money and provide more timely demographic insights, following rising costs, low completion rates, and challenges with digital transformation that have particularly affected Māori participation. Critics emphasize the Census's essential role in determining electoral boundaries, government funding, and monitoring housing and services. Internationally, England and Wales have faced strong resistance from statisticians to similar plans, with recommendations to retain the traditional survey due to concerns about data reliability. The changes in New Zealand highlight the ongoing debate over shifting to administrative-data-first approaches for national statistics. The transition was informed by years of review and public consultation after the 2023 Census.