Editorial: Why Kiwis are having fewer babies - and what we can do about it

PremiumEditorialEditorialNZ Herald23 Aug, 2026 05:00 PM3 mins to readKiwi birthrates are dropping – and it will affect all of us. Photo / 123rf Kiwi birthrates are dropping – and it will affect all of us. Photo / 123rf People are a scarce resource. And we’re making fewer of them.In the latest national population estimates released by Stats NZ, it was revealed that New Zealand’s estimated natural increase in population is at its lowest since World War II.

Some of that is because we have a higher number