Kei ngā mana, kei ngā reo, kei ngā ihi, ngā wehi, me ngā tapu. Tēnei rā te mihinui o Tatauranga Aotearoa ki a koutou. Tēnā koutou katoa. He uri tēnei o Porourangi, o Tuwharetoa, o Raukawa hoki, e mahi nei mō te Tatauranga o te motu, 2023.

My name is Atawhai Tibble, I descend from Ngāti Porou, Tuwharetoa and Raukawa, and am the Pouārahi for the 2023 Census.

I am writing to ask if you can help us in the last few weeks of the 2023 Census to encourage your members who may not have filled in a Census form to do so.

Census is valuable to te Iwi Māori and our community. Not only does the Census data inform the number of representatives we have in Parliament, including the Māori seats, but it informs regional health funding, the number of schools and kura, the demand for police officers and other key services, and the need for houses, shops and malls. Census iwi counts support tribal development. Moreover, it supplies the most consistent measure of the health of te reo Māori: the numbers who use the reo to speak about everyday things.

Right now, we estimate that about 710 000, Māori have filled in their Census forms. Now, that number is amazing. 7 out of 10 Māori have done the Census! However, based on a population of 1 million, about 300 000, Māori must still complete a form.

I would appreciate it if you could reach out to members who have not yet completed the Census. The more whānau who do, the better for us all. There is still time!

For your information:

• There are key but specific areas on the Census collections are continuing. For more information, please check the website. https://www.census.govt.nz/
• Up until the end of May 2023, we have several events in communities throughout New Zealand where whānau can get help to fill in a form. Please click here for a regularly updated list of events. www.census.govt.nz/census-support/
• Anyone can call our 0800 236 787 helpline and order a paper form and complete this by the end of May 2023.
• During June whānau will still be able to complete a form online. https://www.census.govt.nz/

Please use this link to Māori media assets, videos, posters, and adverts to promote Census via newsletters, on your website, or via social media. https://www.census.govt.nz/maori-resources/

Thank you in anticipation of your support. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact me.

Nāku iti noa nā,

Atawhai Tibble

Atawhai Tibble (pronouns: au/ia)

Pouārahi I Director, Te Ao Māori Census 2023

Tatauranga Aotearoa | Stats NZ | stats.govt.nz