The original CaDDANZ newsletter sent out today erroneously referred to “predicted” rather than “projected” populations in government reports. This version of the newsletter corrects that mistake.

Kia ora koutou
 
Welcome to the 6th newsletter from the Capturing the Diversity Dividend in Aotearoa/New Zealand (CaDDANZ) research programme. For the CaDDANZ team, as for many of you, the disruptions generated by the Covid-19 pandemic have significantly altered the way we work and have drawn attention to new challenges in the worlds we operate. The experiences of lockdown have meant that many of us are working remotely, have had to delay or reorient our research and/or focus on the pressing issues around health, equity and inclusion that have been highlighted by the uneven impacts of the pandemic.
 
Many of the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic relate directly to the research and engagement undertaken by the CaDDANZ research team. Our focus on population, migration and diversity is critical to understanding the transmission of the coronavirus, the inequities that emerge in its biomedical and social impacts and to the task of building better worlds as part of the response to the pandemic and the uncertain futures it presents. CaDDANZ researchers have been active in contributing to these public debates over recent months, some of which we highlight in this newsletter.
 
In the midst of the pandemic, Aotearoa New Zealand also reached the population milestone of five million. Population growth has been particularly rapid in recent decades, with the national population hitting three million in 1973, taking 30 years to get to four million in 2003 and then only 17 years to reach five million. I was particularly struck by the differences in projections from government reports in the early 2000s, some of which projected that the New Zealand population may never reach five million and would only peak at 4.6 million in 2051. The experience of the last two decades, then, demonstrates the fundamental importance of robust, timely and impactful research on population matters such as that undertaken by the CaDDANZ project. While all of our research addresses these population change dynamics in one way or another we have featured some notable contributions to public debate in response to New Zealand reaching the five million mark.
 
Lastly, we highlight a series of important publications emerging from CaDDANZ research. Of particular note is Professor Paul Spoonley’s new book The New New Zealand that addresses demographic disruption, population change and future scenarios. We also highlight publications on voting and Māori governance, youth ethnic identity, graduate destination choices, workplace and hospital diversity, and multinational migration and skills regimes.
 
We are grateful that MBIE has granted CaDDANZ a six month extension due to the impacts of Covid-19. The extension to March 2021 will allow us to resolve some of the disruptions caused by the pandemic and turn our attention to the pressing issues facing Aotearoa/New Zealand during and after the pandemic, whenever that may be.
 
Take care and stay well.
 
Ngā mihi nui
 
Francis Collins and the CaDDANZ team