What is the Active NZ survey? 

Active NZ is a national survey run by Sport NZ that monitors the activity levels and patterns of New Zealanders. Since 2017, Sport NZ has been collecting data year-round from both adults and young people in the same household through two separate surveys. The 2024/25 results are based on responses from 14,997 adults aged 18-plus and 5,571 young people aged 5 to 17.

What is the purpose of the survey?

Active NZ is designed to:

• give a robust population measure of overall participation levels and trends and across various population sub-groups.
• act as the single source of data on participation levels and trends for Sport NZ and the wider sector
• help guide Sport NZ’s strategy and decision-making.

In July 2024 the Active NZ survey was refreshed. Why?

The survey was refreshed in July 2024 aligning with Sport NZ’s new strategic period. The purpose of the refresh was to future proof the survey ensuring continued relevance and cost-effective data capture. 

What has Sport NZ done to refresh the Active NZ survey?

Sport NZ has followed 6 key work phases of work to guide the refresh: 

1. Active NZ review (Allen & Clarke 2021)
2. Survey reviews (Professor A Bauman 2021)
3. Applying a bi-cultural lens (Verian and Sport NZ Rautaki Māori 2022)
4. Improving relevance, representation and response rates from a diverse range of New Zealanders (TRA 2023)
5. Sport NZ workshops with business units (Sport NZ 2024)
6. External feedback from Regional Sports Trusts and selected National Sport Organisations (Sport NZ 2024)

Has the method changed? 

Not significantly. The core approach remains the same. Sport NZ still uses the electoral roll and the Māori electoral roll to select households. An invitation letter is sent to a named adult inviting them to take part in the survey, and a separate flier is included for rangatahi (aged 12-17) inviting them to complete their own survey. At the end of their survey, adults can also complete a survey for or with tamariki (aged 5-11). 

A few changes have been made:

• Adults complete the survey online only. Removing the paper option for adults aged 50-plus did not significantly affect who responded.
• Fewer reminders are sent. These have been reduced from 3 to 2 follow-ups after the initial invitation. 
• The incentive for rangatahi has been lowered from $20 to $10.

Has the number of adults sampled to take part in the survey changed?

No, the number hasn’t changed. Sport NZ still invites the same number of people to participate in the survey as before.

Has the questionnaire changed?

Yes, but only slightly. The survey has been shortened, but the key participation indicators, especially for young people, remain the same. 

The updated survey now has 2 parts:

1. Core questions – These measure key participation trends and are asked continuously.
2. Modules – These include questions on specific topics of interest, added from time to time. 

Copies of the questionnaires are included at the end of the Active NZ technical report. This allows anyone interested to see exactly what’s being asked in the survey.

Can the results be compared with previous years?

Yes – most results can still be compared if the questions haven’t changed. 

There are a few things to keep in mind:

• Online-only format: The survey is now completed online, and the list of sports and activities is randomised to avoid bias from fixed ordering. This means trends, especially for activities that used to appear at the top of the list, should be seen as indicative rather than exact. 
• Updated adult questionnaire: Some changes were made to better align with the young people’s survey. Of note, the overall time spent being active is now calculated for each activity in each context – play, competition, or training/extra exercise with or without a coach. 
• New questions added: The survey now includes questions about rainbow and neurodiverse identities for both adults and young people, as well as motivations for being active (for young people).

How are the module topics agreed?

Module topics are often shaped by suggestions from the sector. Sport NZ invites stakeholders to share ideas when they have a particular subject of interest they would like explored. 

Modules are also used for questions that do not need to be measured continuously. If the results are not needed annually or affected by seasonal changes, those questions can be added or removed as needed. 

What outputs can be expected throughout the year?

Throughout the year, Sport NZ will release spotlight reports that focus on specific topics of interest. 

Will results still be available by region? 

Yes, regional results will continue to be available. The first release will use data from the 2024/25 year only. From future years onward, regional tables will be based on 2 years of rolling data. This approach allows for more reliable data analysis of sub-groups. 

The 2024/25 regional tables should be used with caution, especially for smaller regions, as sample sizes may be low.

What information will be released?