In the week beginning 17 July, letters inviting people to express an interest in being part of the Citizens’ Assembly will be sent to about 10,000 randomly selected postal and email addresses.

The letter will contain a link and QR code to an online survey for those interested in participating to complete.

There will also be a number for people to call and complete the survey over the phone if they prefer.

Participation is open to residents as well as people who hold New Zealand citizenship, as long as they live in Wellington. People need to be 16 or over to participate.

The survey will include questions about age, gender, ethnicity, education levels, home ownership and location within Wellington. This information will be used by an independent research agency to select 30-40 people who reflect Wellington’s diversity.

The Assembly will meet over four Saturdays in September and October (and two one-hour online sessions) in an accessible location in central Wellington.

The selected participants will be offered $800 as a token of appreciation for volunteering their time. Childcare and transport support may be offered, and food and refreshments will be provided at the four sessions.

The call for expressions of interest, survey and selection process is being managed by independent agency Global Research.

People with questions about this process can contact engagement@wcc.govt.nz