People’s public environmental actions

Methods - how we monitor

• Where and how we collect the data

  People’s environmental awareness, attitudes, knowledge and behaviours are identified through repeated cross-sectional surveys. The structure of the questionnaire measures the key components of environmental awareness (knowledge, awareness and concern), attitudes, and behaviour.

  The survey data collection method in 2019 changed to a mixed method approach designed to ensure a wide cross section of residents were reached. In 2022 a total n=1,026 surveys were completed. The following sampling methods were used:

  • Online collection: this was the primary sampling method which, for the first time in 2022, made use of a third-party panel provider. Waikato residents were invited to self-complete the questionnaire on an online survey platform with n=792 surveys completed using this method
  • Telephone interviewing: A smaller component of Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing (CATI) interviews n=234 ensured a sufficient number of responses were achieved in some smaller rural areas.

  Monitoring frequency

  Surveys are repeated every three years, with the next survey planned for 2025.

  This survey has been carried out eight times:

  • June 1998 (benchmark survey)
  • October to November 2000
  • September to October 2003
  • September to October 2006
  • January to March 2013
  • February to March 2016
  • April to May 2019
  • April to May 2022

  Monitoring history

  Year to year there have always been three questions asked. The benchmark survey was carried out in 1998. In 1998, question one asked: ‘In the last year or so, have you tried to get some information, advice, or been involved in any kind of public meetings, official hearings or consent processes with the aim of protecting the environment?’ ‘Yes’ answers were followed by question two: ‘What did you do?’ Answers to the second question were followed by question three: ‘Generally, how effective do you feel <actions taken, from above> was/were?’

  Question two has always remained the same. Question three has generally remained the same since 2000 with a slight variation in 2019. Question one however has varied, and in 2016, ‘public action, meetings, official hearings or consent processes’ was removed from the question and used instead as examples/prompts.

  People are also asked to rate their level of agreement or disagreement on the following statement ‘the public have enough say in the way the environment is managed’. This statement has remained the same since 1998.

  Measurement technique

  The 2022 survey involved a mixed method approach to data collection designed to ensure a wide cross section of residents were reached. A total n=1,026 surveys were completed across both sources. Sample sources for data collection comprised of the following:

   

  Data collection type	Number of completed surveys	% of final sample composition
  Online	792	77%
  Telephone	234	23%
  Total	1,026	100%

   

  • The questions were reviewed and pilot-tested before inclusion in the final survey.
  • Age and gender weightings are applied to the final data set. Weighting ensures that specific demographic groups are neither under- nor over-represented in the final data set and that each group is represented as it would be in the population. The proportions used for the gender and age weights are taken from the 2018 Census (Statistics New Zealand).
  • The total sample size of n=1026 provides a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.06 per cent at the 95% confidence interval.
• How this indicator is compiled

  The first question asked: ‘In the last year or so, have you been involved in any kind of public action with the aim of protecting the environment?’

  The second question asked: ‘What did you do?’

  Participants’ responses were recorded and these were later coded. Prompts were provided on the survey or via interviews and included ‘signing a petition; attended any meetings; been involved in a council consent process or made a submission’.

  The third question asked: ‘And generally, how effective do you feel this/these actions were?’

  A four-point scale was used to record how effective people thought their actions were:

  • Very effective
  • Fairly effective
  • Not effective at all
  • Don’t know

  People are also asked to rate their level of agreement or disagreement on the following statement ‘The public have enough say in the way the environment is managed’.

  The regional result is compiled into the per cent of people giving each answer.