More babies needed

The Herald reports:

New Zealand’s total fertility rate 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.

That’s below the replacement rate to keep the population stable. Without immigration we would have a shrinking population!

“In contrast, fertility rates increased dramatically following the Great Depression and World War II, peaking at 4.31 births per woman in 1961,” he said.

Wow that was a lot.