Official languages

New Zealand has three official languages: English, Māori (from 1987) and New Zealand Sign Language (from April 2006). The 2006 Census recorded that 96 per cent of people could speak English, 4 per cent of people could speak Māori, and 0.6 per cent could converse in New Zealand Sign Language.¹²

In 2006, eight out of 10 people (79 per cent) spoke English as their only language while a further 17 per cent spoke English along with at least one other language. Of the 4 per cent of New Zealanders who could not speak English, almost half (49 per cent) were children under the age of five, most of whom would still be learning to speak. Of the 2 per cent of people who spoke at least one language but not English, most (80 per cent) were born overseas. People born in Asian countries (17 per cent) and people born in Pacific countries (12 per cent) had the highest proportions who spoke at least one language but not English.

The number of people able to converse in New Zealand Sign Language was 24,000 in 2006, a decline from 27,300 in 2001. This fall of 12 per cent followed an increase of 3 per cent between the 1996 and 2001 censuses. In 2006, 9 per cent or 2,200 of those people who were able to converse in New Zealand Sign Language indicated it was their only language. A further 89 per cent were also able to converse in English, 26 per cent in Māori and 25 per cent in other languages (either alone or in combination).

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