Community advocates say the $9000 spent on four Census gang hui where 364 whānau filled out their forms was money well spent and will make it easier for generational changes for future data collections.

The National Party yesterday criticised Census for hosting gang members at four separate hui.

National’s statistics spokesperson Simon Watts said using $9087 from a $300 million budget to entice gang members to fill in their forms was a waste of money and effort.

“Gang numbers are up 66 per cent since 2017, and now we have a situation where Labour is happy to spend hard-earned taxpayer money on people who actively break the law and intimidate Kiwis up and down the country.

 “Statistics Minister Deborah Russell needs to explain why New Zealanders who did the right thing and who filled out their Census on time as required by law, now have their hard-earned money going on ‘Census support events’ for gang members.”

But lifetime Black Power member and community kaumatua Dennis O’Reilly and community advocate Dave Letele have applauded the Census people who had the courage to reach into the gang communities.

“I would say that was money well spent,’ said O’Reilly, who said at 24.96 cents for a gang member’s participation “was a bloody great investment.

“I said to the Black Power guys that the 28th Māori Battalion went to war to fight and paid the price for citizenship and it was now their obligation to participate in that citizenship that our tupuna fought so hard for us to get.

 “A good investment and all power to those who had the guts to do it.”

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Dave Letele. Photo / Greer Bland

Community advocate Dave Letele agreed with O’Reilly.

“We have to use whatever means we can to get our communities to engage,” Letele said.

“If that means using small incentives, then that’s what you have to do.”

“Why would $9k out of a $320 million budget cause grief. The main point of this exercise is to reach people. Our communities must be counted.”

Letele said his own memories of Census and Census collectors were not pleasant.

“LIke many whānau is was traumatic because people knocking at your doors are coming for a payment or your belongings.

“$24.96 is a great return on investment.”

Watts said the 2023 census was a failure as Māori participation is at 72 per cent, a mere 5 per cent higher than in 2018 and nowhere near the 90 per cent target.