18 Nov 2020

NZ records lowest-ever fertility rate

From Morning Report, 7:38 am on 18 November 2020

New Zealand has just recorded its lowest-ever fertility rate.

The latest quarterly data from Statistics New Zealand shows the ratio of births to the number of women of child-bearing age is now 1.63.

That's now well below the ratio needed to keep the population growing.

What that translates to, is that without migration, the population will shrink.

Tracy Neal reports.