Immigrants outnumber city babies

Fewest Auckland births in decade as NZ fertility rate hits lowest level since 1920s

The number of babies born in Auckland hit a 10-year low last year — despite a general population increase. New Zealand’s total fertility rate also dipped to a record low last year.

New data from Statistics New Zealand shows our national fertility rate was down to 1.81 births per woman — the lowest level since records started in the 1920s.

There were 59,610 live births registered in 2017.

Based on birth rates in 2017, Kiwi women would average 1.81 births over their lifetime.

Massey University professor of sociology Paul Spoonley said fertility had dropped to a “sub replacement” level, meaning the rate was not high enough to maintain the population.

“Women are having fewer children and they are having children at a later age,” Spoonley said.

While our population increased from 59,427 to 59,610 year-on-year, the number of babies born in Auckland over 2017 dropped by more than 400 to 21,393. This was reflective of a gradual decrease in births in the region.

Spoonley said the trend was not surprising alongside a general spread of New Zealand’s population away from the main centres and towards the regions.

“Immigration has replaced fertility as the biggest source of population growth in Auckland,” he said.

There had been a general downwards trend since 23,007 births were recorded across the Auckland region in 2007.

Meanwhile, most regions were seeing an overall upwards trend in recorded births.

Canterbury saw a big increase in births in the past five years, up from 6633 in 2012 to 7065 last year.

Population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said while the overall number of live births had increased, the fertility rate had decreased due to increased population size.

“The total New Zealand population continues to grow, driven by nearrecord levels of migration in 2017,” Dolan said.

The total fertility rate had only dropped below 1.90 births three times before — most recently in 2016, when it dipped to 1.87.

Dolan said our fertility rate had been reasonably stable for four decades. It ranged from last year’s 1.81 to a record high 2.19.

“In contrast, fertility rates increased dramatically following the Great Depression and World War II, peaking at 4.31 births per woman in 1961. New Zealand then experienced declining fertility over the following two decades.”

The lower fertility rate could see reduced population growth if it stays below the replacement level of about 2.1.

According to new statistics, the average New Zealand female has a life expectancy of 83.4 years, and males 80 years.