The general awareness that the census is even happening is apparently low, but worse, many are simply excluded because of the online bias of the promotion and execution of the census.
Reports of older folk anxious about missing or not being able to do their duty as citizens have been common. Many younger folk who are not always engaged in public processes like elections and a census don’t seem to know about it either, despite being very much online. And perhaps worst of all, people in poorer areas have not been engaged and are unlikely to participate in large numbers and so won’t be counted. District health board funding is apportioned by population as determined by a census.
We see similar assumptions among groups wanting to reach farmers. The fact is though, no online option will include all farmers all the time.
