How many Māori moved?
More than 60 percent of people of Māori ethnicity have moved at least once within New Zealand between 2001 and 2006.
In 2006, there were 565,300 people who identified Māori as one of their ethnicities. Of these, 541,100 people told us where they had lived five years earlier, at the time of the 2001 Census.
Table 1
People of Māori ethnicity By address five years ago 2006 Census |
|
Number of people of Māori ethnicity |
Address five years ago |
Male |
Female |
Total |
Same as usual residence |
86,316 |
90,819 |
177,135 |
Elsewhere in New Zealand or no fixed abode |
135,453 |
150,765 |
286,218 |
Not born five years ago |
34,071 |
32,352 |
66,423 |
Overseas |
5,706 |
5,610 |
11,316 |
Not stated |
13,314 |
10,920 |
24,234 |
Total |
274,860 |
290,469 |
565,329 |
Among the people aged five years and over who gave us this information, 60 percent had moved at least once in NZ within the previous five years, 37 percent had not moved and 2 percent had arrived or returned from overseas.
Māori increasingly mobile
In the 20 years from 1986 to 2006, Māori have become increasingly mobile. Less than half (47 percent) had moved within New Zealand between 1981 and 1986 compared with over 60 percent in 2006. A number of factors contribute to this. Among these are the fact that the population as a whole has become much more mobile, improved economic conditions and employment opportunities have enabled more mobility, and increasing inter-ethnic, inter-regional and inter-iwi partnering.
Table 2
People of Māori ethnicity By address five years ago, percentage distribution 1986–2006 Censuses |
|
Census year |
Address five years ago |
1986 |
1991 |
1996 |
2001 |
2006 |
|
Percent of Māori population |
Same as usual residence |
51.7 |
45.8 |
44.5 |
40.2 |
37.3 |
Elsewhere in New Zealand |
46.6 |
52.5 |
53.3 |
57.9 |
60.3 |
Overseas |
1.7 |
1.7 |
2.2 |
1.9 |
2.4 |
Total |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
Percent of Maori internal migrants |
Stayers |
52.6 |
46.6 |
45.5 |
38.7 |
38.2 |
Movers within New Zealand |
47.4 |
53.4 |
54.5 |
61.3 |
61.8 |
Total internal migrants |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |