‘I’ve done it!’: Harry Styles announces he completed NZ Census at concert

Harry Styles has answered the question we’ve all been waiting for – he has indeed completed the New Zealand Census.

March 7 is not only Census day in New Zealand, but the date of Styles’ only New Zealand performance, meaning, since he is in the country on Census day, he would have to complete the Census.

This question was first raised by entertainment outlet Coup de Main on Twitter, when they tweeted the 2023 Census account, asking if “Harry Styles will also have to do the census on March 7 with the rest of New Zealand?”

Census immediately confirmed everyone in the country had to be counted on Census night, including “tourists, visitors and former members of One Direction”, and even provided a visual to make sure Styles knew what he was doing.

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The tweet included an “artist impression” of Styles filling out his Census form which they described as, “Harry Styles sitting at a table, holding a pen”.

“An illustration of a census paper has been added in front of him, lovingly rendered in fuchsia in Microsoft Paint,” the account tweeted.

But whether he’d actually take on this task or simply pay the fine was whirring through many concert-goers’ heads as they are waiting for his Tuesday night performance at Mount Smart Arena.

In 2013, Stats NZ announced about 100 people were being prosecuted for not completing their census forms.

Thankfully, Styles put fans out of their misery quickly, asking straight after his first song, “did everyone do the census thing?”

”I did it!” which was met by cheers (and probable sighs of relief).

“As long as we’re all accounted for we can continue. Otherwise, we have to stop the show and fill out the paperwork. I’ve done it. I think. Your job is to have as much fun as you possibly can.”

Luckily for Styles, Stats NZ made the 2023 Census easier than ever, so he had the option of completing his form online or on paper, and the number of Census collectors has increased, as well as Census events in case Styles needed to ask for help.

The pop star does not need to worry about revealing any information to the country, though. The 2023 Census account did confirm that all answers are strictly confidential.

One day every five years, the Government tries to count every single person in the country, and find out about Kiwis – their families, communities, culture, towns, schools, hospital and streets, in order to inform change.

As of 9am on March 7, over 1.4m Kiwis had completed the census.