Not Much on Television

Birth rates in New Zealand are the highest since 1991 with the average number per woman at 2.2 births. In the 12 months to March 31 this year, 64,160 babies were born Statistics New Zealand reported. Despite that, it remained about half the peak of 4.3 births per woman reached in 1961. New Zealand women on average now have children about five years later than their counterparts 40 years ago, with the median age of 30, compared with 25 in 1969. Auckland psychologist Sara Chatwin, a mother of four, said the statistics could be referred to as “Baby Boomers Mark II”. “A year of lacklustre performances by our national sports teams could have seen people turn to child-rearing to focus on something positive”, she added.