Key Takeaways
- Migrant communities are systematically at risk of census undercounting due to language barriers, cultural unfamiliarity, and distrust of government data collection.
- When communities are undercounted, government funding and services are misallocated — the communities with the greatest needs may receive the least support.
- Targeted, culturally-informed engagement — delivered through trusted community channels — can significantly improve census participation rates.
- Practical, accessible support (multilingual materials, in-person assistance) is essential to convert awareness into action.
When a Community Cannot Be Seen, It Cannot Be Served
Every five years, New Zealand undertakes a national census — a comprehensive count of its people and places. The data collected underpins billions of dollars in government funding decisions, shapes long-term infrastructure planning, and informs the delivery of essential services from hospitals and schools to public transport and language support programmes. For this system to function equitably, every person in the country must be counted.
The 2023 Census recorded 1.4 million overseas-born residents and identified speakers of over 150 languages. New Zealand's migrant population is not only large — it is growing rapidly. Between 2018 and 2023, the number of Philippines-born residents increased by 46.8 percent, India-born residents by 21.8 percent, and South Africa-born residents by 33.9 percent. This diversity is a national strength, but it also presents a significant challenge for data collection.
International and domestic evidence consistently shows that migrant and ethnic communities are at elevated risk of census non-response. The reasons are complex and deeply human: new arrivals may not understand the purpose of a census, having come from countries where government data collection is associated with surveillance or political control. Language barriers can make the forms impenetrable. A lack of familiarity with the process leads to disengagement. And in some communities, a general wariness of government contact — regardless of its intent — creates a significant barrier to participation.
The Hidden Population Problem
In Hawke's Bay, official census data suggests a permanent resident population of approximately 200 people from South Korea. However, community-level engagement and local knowledge indicate the actual number of permanent Korean residents is likely closer to 400 — and this figure excludes international students, working holiday visa holders, temporary workers, and tourists. This discrepancy is not an anomaly. It is a symptom of a broader, systemic challenge: when communities are undercounted, their needs become invisible to the government agencies responsible for serving them.
The consequences of this invisibility are not abstract. When a community is undercounted, its needs are underestimated. Local health services may be underfunded. Schools may lack adequate English Language Learning (ELL) resources. Settlement services may be insufficient. Infrastructure planning may fail to account for actual population growth. In short, the communities that most need government support can be the least likely to receive it — not through any deliberate policy failure, but simply because the data that drives decisions does not reflect reality.
What Statistics New Zealand Set Out to Achieve
Statistics New Zealand engaged Eastern Bridge to develop and execute a targeted community engagement strategy for the census in the Hawke's Bay region. The programme had four clear objectives, each addressing a distinct dimension of the participation challenge:
Increase Census Participation
Directly boost the number of census forms completed correctly within migrant and ethnic communities across the region.
Build Trust and Understanding
Demystify the census process, explaining its purpose and demonstrating how participation directly benefits migrant communities.
Overcome Language Barriers
Provide accessible, multilingual information and direct language support to ensure every community member could engage with the process.
Create a Replicable Model
Develop a community engagement framework that could be adapted and applied by other government agencies seeking to connect with diverse populations.
A Strategy Built on Trust, Not Just Information
Eastern Bridge designed a multi-faceted engagement strategy grounded in a foundational principle: in migrant communities, trust is the currency of participation. The approach moved deliberately beyond simple information dissemination to active, on-the-ground engagement. It recognised that migrant communities are not monolithic — each has its own communication norms, cultural values, and relationship with government authority.
The strategy was structured around four core pillars, each designed to address a specific barrier to participation:
Community-Led
Delivered through trusted community channels, not just to them — leveraging existing networks of trust.
Multilingual
Every communication was culturally adapted, not just translated, ensuring messages were relevant and respectful.
Practically Supported
Hands-on, accessible assistance removed the final barriers between awareness and action.
Community Mapping & Outreach
- Identified migrant community groups and cultural organisations
- Mapped informal community leaders and trusted networks
- Established relationships with religious and cultural institutions
- Developed a clear picture of the migrant landscape in Hawke's Bay
Multilingual Information Resources
- Produced information sheets in Mandarin, Korean, Tagalog, and other languages
- Explained what the census is and why participation matters
- Culturally adapted — not just translated — for each community
- Distributed through trusted community channels
Direct Community Engagement
- Attended cultural events and community gatherings
- Held informal Q&A sessions in community spaces
- Addressed concerns about data privacy and government intent
- Conveyed the direct community benefits of participation
Census Support Centres
- Established accessible support centres across the region
- Provided one-on-one form completion assistance
- Offered on-the-spot translation and interpreting services
- Created a safe, welcoming, non-judgmental environment
Successful engagement with migrant communities requires more than information — it requires presence, patience, and the willingness to meet people on their own terms. Government agencies often have the intent but lack the community relationships needed to make that connection. That is precisely where Eastern Bridge plays its role.
Simon Appleton — Founder & Principal, Eastern BridgeFrom Engagement to Action: The Results
The programme delivered measurable results across multiple dimensions. By combining community trust-building with practical, accessible support, Eastern Bridge was able to convert awareness into action — and action into improved data quality for the entire region.
Increased Participation
Large numbers of migrants attended support centres and completed census forms with assistance, directly improving participation rates within targeted communities.
Language Barriers Reduced
Multilingual materials and on-site interpreting services significantly reduced the language barriers that had previously prevented accurate form completion.
Community Trust Built
Direct, face-to-face engagement built lasting relationships between Eastern Bridge, community leaders, and government agencies — a foundation for future programmes.
Replicable Framework
The engagement model developed for this programme provides a practical, tested template for government agencies seeking to connect with diverse migrant communities.
The programme demonstrated a principle that is well-established in community development practice but often underestimated in government engagement: targeted, culturally-informed outreach, delivered through trusted intermediaries, can dramatically improve participation rates among communities that would otherwise be missed by standard government communication channels.
Why Accurate Migrant Data Matters for All New Zealanders
The significance of this programme extends well beyond the census itself. Accurate population data is the foundation upon which effective government is built. When migrant communities are properly counted, the benefits flow through every level of public service delivery.
| Health Services | The Ministry of Health uses census data to allocate local health funding. Accurate migrant population data ensures that communities with specific health needs — including language-appropriate services — receive adequate resourcing. |
| Education | School funding and English Language Learning (ELL) resource allocation are informed by population data. Undercounting migrant families can result in schools being under-resourced to support the students they actually serve. |
| Settlement Services | Immigration New Zealand and local councils use population data to plan and fund settlement support services. Accurate data ensures that new arrivals can access the language, employment, and community support they need. |
| Infrastructure Planning | Transport, housing, and utilities infrastructure is planned on the basis of population projections. Systematic undercounting of fast-growing migrant communities can lead to chronic under-investment in the areas where they live. |
| Community Representation | Beyond funding, census data shapes how communities are represented in national statistics and policy discussions. Being counted is, in a meaningful sense, being recognised as part of the national story. |
The Hawke's Bay example — where the Korean resident population may be double what official data suggests — is not an isolated case. It is a window into a broader national challenge. As New Zealand becomes increasingly diverse, the ability of government agencies to accurately count, understand, and serve all communities will become ever more critical to social cohesion and equitable service delivery.
What Government Agencies Can Learn from This Programme
Trust Cannot Be Manufactured — It Must Be Earned
Migrant communities do not automatically trust government communications. Effective engagement requires investment in long-term relationships, delivered through intermediaries who are already trusted within the community.
Translation Is Not Enough
Producing materials in another language is a necessary but insufficient step. Effective communication requires cultural adaptation — understanding how a message will be received, not just whether it can be read.
Remove Practical Barriers, Not Just Awareness Gaps
Many migrants understand the census exists but still do not complete it. Practical barriers — complex forms, lack of language support, inaccessible processes — must be actively removed through on-the-ground support.
Specialist Intermediaries Are a Strategic Asset
Government agencies often have the intent but lack the community relationships needed to reach migrant populations effectively. Partnering with specialist organisations like Eastern Bridge is not a workaround — it is a strategic investment in programme effectiveness.
