Update: Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson and Government Statistician Geoff Bascand have announced the March 8th census will not be held. The 2020 Communications Trust has launched a campaign called ‘Come to Your Census’ which aims to help people fill out the census forms online.

As a result of the earthquake in Christchurch, Statistics New Zealand has suspended the delivery of census forms for the entire country until midday, February 25th.

Trust spokesperson Laurence Zwimpfer said that people who do not feel confident completing their forms online are invited to go to a nearby community access site on census day (March 8th), where volunteers will help them connect to the census site.

“We are encouraging any organisation with one or more internet-connected computers to open their doors to the people in their local community on Census day, Tuesday 8 March between 9am and 7pm (schools 4-7pm),” said Zwimpfer.

“These community access sites could be schools, libraries, churches, workplaces, community centres, citizens’ advice bureaux, SeniorNet centres, food banks, tertiary institutions or marae.”

People need to bring both the census paper forms and the Internet Access Code delivered to them by collectors to complete the census forms online at a community access site.

The campaign is focussing on Far North, Whangarei, Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Whanganui, Porirua, Wellington, Wairoa, Gisborne, Bay of Plenty, Christchurch, West Coast and Dunedin.

The last census in 2006 saw 7% of forms completed online. It’s hoped that figure will increase to around 30% for this year’s census.

If you’re willing to provide a Community Access Site for census online forms, you can register your services here.