The Maori population in Australia

One of the great attributes of Census data is the ability to look at the characteristics of Australia's ethnic communities.  In many cases there is simply no other data source available.  Ethnic communities are typically measured through birthplace, language and/or ancestry, and Census data has the added advantage in that many variables can be cross-tabulated to provide rich insights into these communities.  This blog uses 2016 Census data to examine some of the characteristics of the Maori community in Australia.

Measuring ethnicity

Earlier this year I published a blog highlighting the challenges in defining a person as "African".  The African population is different depending on whether it's defined by birthplace or ancestry, and in this case, language is not helpful.  The 2016 Census shows that the number of people with African ancestry is far larger than those born in Africa.  This is not surprising given that subsequent generations of first generation migrants will likely identify with the cultural background of their family. 

When considering the size of an ethnic community, it is important to consider how they are best measured.  It is often assumed that communities are measured through birthplace, but this does not consider second generation migrants, nor the language they speak at home.  Consider the Maori community in Australia - measuring this community based on a birthplace of New Zealand would not provide an accurate measure, as not all New Zealanders are Maori.  There is a Maori language, but even in New Zealand only about 20% of the Maori population speak the language at home.  Therefore, using the Maori language as a measure of the community would result in an undercount.  This leaves ancestry, which recognises the cultural background of the Census respondent.

How many Maori live in Australia?

In 2016 there were over 142,100 people with Maori ancestry in Australia, comprising 0.6% of the population (Maori population).  This was an 11% increase on the 2011 figure of 128,320, slightly higher than the growth of the Australian population.

Queensland has the largest Maori population, totalling some 53,640 persons or 37% of Australia's total Maori population.  NSW (33,150) and WA (27,450) also have sizeable communities.  Within Queensland, the SA4s of Gold Coast and Logan - Beaudesert are home to the largest Maori communities, with populations of 11,810 and 9,600 respectively.  In fact, approximately one in seven people with Maori ancestry in Australia live in these two SA2s.

Other characteristics of the Maori population

When the Maori population is considered by other Census characteristics, it provides greater insight into the characteristics of the community.  For instance, Census data shows that most (63%) of the Maori population was born in New Zealand - as you'd expect.  However a further 35% were born in Australia.  

The age structure of the Maori population compared to the total population is shown below.  The Maori population is a young one, with 55% of the population aged 0-29 years, compared to 39% of the total population.

At the other end of the age spectrum, the differences are reversed.  Less than 1% of the Maori population is aged 75 years and over, compared to just under 7% of the total population.

This is typical of ethnic communities when measured by ancestry, particularly well established ones such as the Maori population.  As mentioned above, 35% of the Maori population were born in Australia - many of whom are likely to be the children of the original migrants - hence the younger age structure.  The blog I wrote earlier this year on the African community also showed the difference in the age structure of the Sudanese community depending on whether birthplace or ancestry is considered. 

In addition, the lower life expectancy of the Maori population may explain the difference in the age structure, particularly in the older age groups.  Stats NZ found that in 2013, life expectancy of the Maori population was 6-7 years lower than the non-Maori population - albeit with the gap narrowing over time.  This is a similar trend to that experienced by the Indigenous population in Australia, who also have an age profile much younger than that of the total population.

Summary

The 2016 Census shows that there are approximately 142,100 persons of Maori ancestry in Australia.  This is the most appropriate measure of the Maori community, as birthplace and language do not accurately capture the population.  The overwhelming majority of the Maori community were born in New Zealand (63%) or Australia (35%), and they have a much younger age structure when compared to the total population.  Measuring the Maori population provides an example of the challenges that can be involved when measuring ethnic communities.  It is also an example of data that is currently only available via the Census, demonstrating its value to researchers and policy makers alike.