Dropping Census described as ‘tragedy’ for religion statistics

Massey University Professor Emeritus of History Peter Lineham, who has been involved with the Church Life Survey NZ Committee, was interviewed about religious affiliation information shortly after the Government announced the 2023 Census would be the final one.

Professor Lineham said in a Titipounamu Study and Joy podcast that the move to have no future Census “is a tremendous tragedy, in point of view of collecting religious statistics anyway”.

He questioned some of religious affiliation data that had come out of the last two Censuses, noting information had been used from areas such as hospital records and previous Census answers to fill in gaps where people had not responded.

“It means the data is a little bit suspect, but nevertheless the very best we have got, but we are grateful for what we get, even though with some groups, particularly groups with very strong Maori or Pasifika representation, where there tended to be low levels of reporting of the census, the figures are probably a bit skewed,” he said.

“So with certain denominations and religions, I have big question marks about the reliability of the data.”

Radio New Zealand reported that, from 2030, Census-style statistics will be created from a combination of data already collected by other government agencies, known as “administrative data”, and annual surveys of a sample of the population. This approach was heavily signalled in consultation last year.

Announcing the change, Statistics Minister Shane Reti said: “Despite the unsustainable and escalating costs, successive Censuses have been beset with issues or failed to meet expectations.”

The United Kingdom’s Statistics Authority recommended to the Government there that planned changes similar to New Zealand’s should not go ahead, and instead a traditional Census should be held. Australia, the UK and the United States all currently use a full population-wide census.

Other countries that have moved to an administrative data model also use a population register to keep track of data.

FULL STORY

Census 2023 – Muffin Talk with Peter Lineham (Titipounamu – Study and Joy)

What happens now that the traditional census has been turned off? (Radio New Zealand)

A Baptist overview of the Church Life Survey results (Baptist Churches of NZ)