WEEKEND HERALD 3 MAY 2014 - 2013 CENSUS: 65.1 PER CENT OF NZ's TOTAL ASIAN POPULATION LIVES IN AUCKLAND

BRIAN GAYNOR is a Weekend Herald columnist. Today is commenting the 2013 NZ Census results as "Challenge and reward in growing ethnic mix". About AUCKLAND: "The latest Census figures show that Auckland continues to be the fastest-growing area and now represents 33.4 per cent of the country's population, compared with 31 per cent in 2001. Auckland also continues to attract a particularly high proportion of the new migrants with 517,182, or 51.6 per cent, of the overseas-born individuals now living in the Auckland region. This compares with 50.7 per cent in the 2001 Census. Overseas-born individuals as a percentage of total population in the regions are as follows: Auckland 36.5 per cent, Waikato 16.8 per cent, Bay of Plenty 16 per cent, Hawkes Bay 13.7 per cent, Taranaki 12.1 per cent, Wellington 24 per cent, Canterbury 18.6 per cent, Otago 17.2 per cent and Southland just 9.7 per cent. Auckland represents 33.4 per cent of the country's total population yet 65.9 per cent of the country's Pacific peoples live in this area, as does 65.1 per cent of country's total Asian population, 26.6 per cent of the country's total European population and 23.9 per cent of Maori. The 2013 Census contains a huge amount of fascinating information that highlights the difficulties facing businesses, particularly in the Auckland area. How does an Auckland retailer satisfy a mix of potential customers which includes European New Zealanders, Asians, Pacific peoples, Maori and foreign tourists? The businesses that can meet the demands of these diverse groups will be the successful companies of the future." READ MORE at: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11248572