Census Day is fast approaching and with it a raft of changes that will include census takers carrying panic alarms as a safety measure.
Statistics New Zealand has promised several improvements since the debacle of 2018, where a damning review found it was too complex and ineffective.
Deputy government statistician Simon Mason told AM on Wednesday along with safety improvements, this year's Census includes some new questions.
"The Census will collect gender variation of sex characteristics and sexual identity information for the first time.
"This enables a part of the community that hasn't been served in the past, to really be represented in the data and allow government departments to use that data for population-based decision making. So very exciting, I think, for that community," Mason said.
Watch the full interview above.
