19 December 2022
Jai Ganesh
[FYI request #21181 email]
Tēnā koe Jai
Official Information Act (OIA) request: Birth and death data
On 6 December 2022, Health New Zealand transferred your request under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Stats NZ. You requested the fol owing information:
Please provide the number of all cause deaths from 2016-2022 broken down by
month and age group. I'd also like the number of births for the same period broken
down by month. I'm sure NZ logs Births and Deaths with regularity so it should be
an easy find, if not, please point me to the right agency.
Your request for this information is refused under section 18(d) of the Act because the
information requested is already publicly available.
Number of deaths
Stats NZ publish the number of deaths (al causes) which have been registered in New
Zealand each month on our website. The information is broken down by month, age
group and ethnicity, and can be accessed
here.
The latest release was published on 17 November 2022 and shows information from
January 2010 to September 2022. The next Births and Deaths release, which will include
deaths information for the remainder of 2022 wil be published on 20 February 2022.
Number of births
Stats NZ publishes annual statistics for births, based on birth registrations. The next Births
and Deaths release, which wil include birth information for the remainder of 2022 wil be
published on 20 February 2022. These statistics are broken down by quarter and/or year,
and by a range of variables which can be seen on our infoshare website
here. These
statistics do not include birth registrations by month.
[email address]
toll-free 0508 525 525
stats.govt.nz
8 Willis Street, Wellington
PO Box 2922, Wellington 6140
However, Stats NZ does publish data on the number of births which have
occurred each
month
on Infoshare (as opposed to registered each month). To access this information
please select:
+ Population
+ Births – VSB
+ Month and year of birth (Monthly)
The number of births which occur each month wil be slightly different to the number of
births registered each month, as births are registered after they occur. This monthly
information is updated with each quarterly Births and Deaths release. You will also notice
that this monthly data is only currently available up to the end of March 2022. The next
release in February 2023 wil cover the birth occurrences in April, May and June of 2022.
Because there is a lag between when a birth occurs and when it is registered our birth
occurrence data is updated as the birth registrations data comes through. We allow a six
month lag for this process as most births are registered within six months. This ensures
we have the best quality of data. Many people use registrations as a proxy for occurrence
because of this lag.
If you would like information on the number of births
registered each month, as opposed to
births occurred, you can request a customised data request. A customised data request
would allow us to provide data to you up until the latest release month, currently September
2022. For information about what a customised data request is, how to make one, and any
associated costs, please visit
Customised data services | Stats NZ.
Stats NZ’s Information Centre is often the best place to start seeking statistical information,
as the Information Centre exists to help users find the statistical information they are looking
for. Stats NZ’s Information Centre can let you know what data Stats NZ can provide and
show you how to find it. This service is free and often results in a same day response. In this
case, the information they could provide is the information we have provided to you in this
letter.
You can contact our Information Centre in the following ways:
Phone – 0508 525 525
Email –
[email address]
Online form
Should you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact Stats NZ at:
[email address].
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to seek an investigation and
review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
[email address]
toll-free 0508 525 525
stats.govt.nz
8 Willis Street, Wellington
PO Box 2922, Wellington 6140
It is Stats NZ’s policy to proactively release its responses to official information requests
where possible. This letter, with your personal details removed, wil be published on the
Stats NZ website. Publishing responses creates greater openness and transparency of
government decision-making and helps better inform public understanding of the reasons
for decisions.
Ngā mihi nui, nā
Kate Satterthwaite
General Manager, Executive and Government Relations
Office of the Chief Executive, Stats NZ
[email address]
toll-free 0508 525 525
stats.govt.nz
8 Willis Street, Wellington
PO Box 2922, Wellington 6140
