Submissions are for reading, not counting

Kate Newton writes:

Voices of younger, poorer and ethnically diverse communities in Auckland are being drowned out by older, wealthier, Pākehā residents, an RNZ investigation has found.
The 26,000 submissions made on Auckland Council’s long-term Auckland Plan 2050 were dominated by Pākehā in particular – even in areas of the city where they are a minority.
The plan, adopted in June last year, sets out six high-level goals for Auckland’s long-term future, including fostering a sense of belonging and participation among every resident.
However, analysis of ethnicity, age and gender data showed three-quarters of submissions on the plan were made by Pākehā, despite Pākehā making up only half the region’s population.

Submissions from people living in local board areas with above-average incomes outnumbered those from poorer areas by two to one.
The overall age of submitters was also significantly older than Auckland’s general population – seven out of 10 submitters were above the median age of 34.

This is an interesting analysis, but it also reinforces why submissions should not be seen as representative of the community.

A great saying is that submissions are for reading, not counting. You consider the points they make, but you don’t just go with the view that is most popular or frequent.

If you really want to know what the community thinks, you do a scientifically representative poll.