News MILNZ

Non-profit institutions spend more on paying employees – Media release

27 March 2020

Salaries and wages (known as compensation of employees) paid by non-profit institutions (NPIs) are increasing faster than the value of the volunteer labour they receive, Stats NZ said today.

“NPIs paid 38 percent more to their employees in 2018 than they did in 2013. Meanwhile, the value of volunteering increased by only 14 percent over those five years,” national accounts senior manager Ruvani Ratnayake said.

Volunteer labour is important to the NPI sector. The Non-profit institutions satellite account: 2018 released today estimated it was worth $3,957 million in 2018. New Zealand’s GDP does not include volunteer labour. However, if it did, the NPI contribution to GDP would have been 4.2 percent ($12,060 million), down from 4.5 percent ($9,691 million) in 2013.

The NPIs’ overall contribution to New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) decreased from 2.9 percent in 2013 to 2.8 percent in 2018.

Volunteer hours were an estimated 159 million, only about two million more hours than in 2013. In 2018 there were just over one million volunteers, meaning each volunteer worked on average three hours per week for an NPI.

The total number of employees has increased 10 percent over the last five years to 150,630. Their salaries and wages made up 81.3 percent of NPIs’ contribution to GDP in 2018, compared with 76.9 percent in 2013. The proportion of NPIs’ total expenditure also increased, from 39.8 percent in 2013 to 40.7 percent in 2018.

The percentage increase in salaries and wages by the non-profit sector was consistent with the increase across the rest of the New Zealand economy. The year-on-year average increase for total salaries and wages in the NPI sector was 7.5 percent. This compares to the total New Zealand economy, which increased an average 5.8 percent per year over the same five-year period.

See our infographic for an overview of The contribution of non-profit institutions in New Zealand.

High quality products key for most exporters – Media release

26 March 2020

Seven out of 10 firms that sold goods and services overseas reported that quality was a key factor that helped their business compete in those markets, Stats NZ said today.

“According to exporting businesses, experienced managerial staff and a valuable brand were also important factors for competing overseas,” business performance manager Geraldine Duoba said.

“These three factors – quality, management, and brand – are important regardless of the size of the firm, but are most prominent for big firms, employing more than 100 staff.”

Innovation also plays an important role in creating a competitive advantage – two out of three exporters were innovators, coming up with new or better goods and services, operational and organisational processes, or marketing methods.

“Exporters are more likely to innovate as this allows them to compete and increase their export value,” Ms Duoba said.

Almost one-in-five New Zealand firms exported goods and services in 2019, about the same as in 2015, the last time information on international engagement was collected. Most of these businesses sold manufactured or finished goods and services. Other exports may be in the form of raw or unprocessed materials or technology.

The business operations survey reports on businesses with six or more employees.

The 2019 survey included questions on business operations, innovation, and international engagement. Businesses are surveyed on innovation every two years, and about international engagement on a less frequent basis.

Cost and lack of management resources top barriers to innovation – Media release

26 March 2020

New Zealand businesses reported that cost and lack of management resources remain the top barriers to innovation, Stats NZ said today. These results come from the business operations survey, which reports on businesses with six or more employees.

Forty-two percent of businesses reported cost to develop or introduce innovation as a medium- or high-barrier to innovation, up from 40 percent in 2017.

“Innovation is part and parcel of business operations to create better goods and services. It is a key driver of productivity growth,” business performance manager Geraldine Duoba said.

About half of businesses carried out innovation activities in 2019, a similar proportion to that in each year measured since 2007. However, size is important, with innovation more prevalent among larger-sized businesses.

Innovation encompasses activities such as research and development (R&D), product design, and marketing, as well as other related activities such as prototyping or commercialisation of the developed product. Around two-thirds of innovation expenditure goes to R&D; 68 percent in 2019, up from 64 percent in 2017. Expenditure on marketing decreased from 15 percent of all innovation expenditure in 2017 to 10 percent in 2019.

The business operations survey for 2019 included questions on business operations, innovation, and international engagement. Businesses are surveyed on innovation every two years.

About 250,000 visitors in New Zealand – Media release

25 March 2020

An estimated 240,000–260,000 visitors from overseas are in New Zealand as of late March 2020, Stats NZ said today. Of these, about 5 in 6 are non-New Zealand citizens while the balance are New Zealand citizens.

“We’ve derived this provisional estimate to assist with COVID-19 analysis and decision-making,” said population insights senior manager Brooke Theyers. "The estimate, using international travel data, is an indication of how many overseas visitors may depart in the coming weeks."

The estimate is based on arrivals of overseas visitors in the past 12 months who have not yet departed New Zealand. Overseas visitors are people who had been living overseas for at least the 12 months before they arrived in New Zealand, irrespective of the nationality of their passport, and plan to stay in New Zealand for less than one year.

“This is an estimate of the size of the pool of overseas visitors in New Zealand at a point in time, not the flow of people coming into or leaving the country each week or month,” Mrs Theyers said. “We know the flows in and out of New Zealand have slowed significantly in recent weeks.”

Over recent weeks, governments have imposed international travel restrictions in multiple countries, due to the spread of COVID-19 around the world. On 19 March, the New Zealand government took further measures to protect New Zealanders from the COVID-19 virus, effectively stopping all people from boarding a plane to New Zealand, except for returning New Zealanders. See Stronger border measures to protect NZers from COVID-19.

“If and when visitors in New Zealand will return overseas will depend on the availability of flights and their purpose of travel to New Zealand,” Mrs Theyers said. "While most visitors to New Zealand are tourists here for a short time, large numbers are also here for work and study over many weeks or months."

In 2019, for example, of the 3.9 million visitor arrivals to New Zealand, 1 in 8 stayed for more than a month.

Monthly averages published by Stats NZ, currently available to January 2020, show that relatively large numbers of overseas visitors are in New Zealand in March each year. In March 2019 there was an average of 242,000 visitors each day, and in March 2018 the average was 247,000. The peak is during the summer months of December to February.

Comprehensive international travel statistics for February 2020 and March 2020 are scheduled for release on 14 April and 14 May 2020, respectively, after arrival card data have been processed. (Source: Infoshare, Subject category: Tourism, Group: International Travel and Migration, Table: Visitors – average number in New Zealand each day by country of residence (Monthly)).

In addition to the above estimate of visitors, 140,000 migrants arrived in New Zealand over the last year. Some of these people may choose to return to another country.

There are also many New Zealanders with overseas connections. The 2018 Census counted 1.3 million people living in New Zealand who were born overseas, 27 percent of the population.

Further updates of these provisional estimates of visitors in New Zealand, and of the estimated 100,000–110,000 New Zealand residents travelling overseas currently, will be published on the Provisional international travel statistics webpage. From today, that webpage will also include more timely, but provisional, border crossing data to assist with COVID-19 analysis and decision-making.

This information complements the Tourism data factsheet published by MBIE which focuses on the inbound tourism sector and people in New Zealand on visitor visas. That analysis excludes Australian and New Zealand citizens visiting New Zealand, as well as visitors on work, student and other visa types.

A glance at NZ trade after the coronavirus outbreak – 25 March update – Media release

25 March 2020

Daily goods trade data between 1 February and 18 March gives an updated glance at New Zealand’s trade with the world since the COVID-19 outbreak, Stats NZ said today.

For the week ended 18 March 2020 with the equivalent week in 2019:

• Total imports from all countries were down 11 percent ($116 million), from $1.1 billion to $1.0 billion.
• Total exports to all countries were up 3.7 percent ($47 million), from $1.28 billion to $1.32 billion.
• Imports from China were down 15 percent ($28 million), from $191 million to $163 million.
• Exports to China were down 14 percent ($50 million), from $346 million to $296 million.

The high-level graphs released today show total export and import values, and export and import values to and from China.

In addition to the series published last week, the CSV file now includes:

• air and sea freight values for imports and exports
• total exports of dairy, meat, forestry. and seafood
• meat exports values and weights to the United States
• export values to the European Union (28 countries).

The data is provisional and should be regarded as an early, indicative estimate of intentions to trade only, subject to revision.

The data compares trade from 1 February and 18 March 2020 against previous years. This allows for an estimate to be made of what may have happened to trade, if they had followed typical patterns.

Stats NZ urges caution in making decisions based on this provisional data.

See Provisional indications – effects of coronavirus outbreak on New Zealand trade with China.

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Below you can find Stats NZ’s information releases for the next week. For more information about these releases go to Insights and make your selections in the drop down options.

26 March 2020
Business operations survey: 2019
View recent Business operations survey releases

31 March 2020
Building consents issued: February 2020
View recent Building consents issued releases

Regional gross domestic product: Year ended March 2019
View recent Regional gross domestic product releases

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Exports rise as dairy gains while logs and fish fall – Media release

25 March 2020

Total goods exports increased in the February 2020 month due to an increase in the value of dairy products, Stats NZ said today.

The total value of meat exports was little changed, but higher quantities were exported to the United States instead of China.

The increase in total good exports was despite falls in exports of logs and fish, particularly to China, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The value of total goods exports rose by $212 million (4.5 percent) from February 2019 to reach $4.9 billion in February 2020.

“This month’s total goods exports were up on the same month of 2019, led by dairy exports, in particular milk powder,” international statistics manager Darren Allan said.

“Dairy product exports to China remained high, but logs, meat, and fish exports were lower.”

The rise in total goods exports was led by milk powder, up $191 million (28 percent) from February 2019. This was price-led as quantities were little changed.

Partly offsetting the rise were falls in forestry products (down $124 million or 27 percent, mainly reflecting a fall in untreated logs), and fish (down $47 million or 27 percent).

Overall, meat export values fell slightly in February 2020 (down 1.4 percent), with a fall in sheep meat partly offset by a rise in beef.

Average prices per tonne were up for both beef and lamb, despite lower total export volumes for both commodities.

In February 2020, New Zealand exported less beef to China than in the same month last year, but more was shipped to the US.

“The value of monthly beef exports to the US was higher than to China for the first time since early 2019,” Mr Allan said.

“Higher quantities of New Zealand beef exports were sent to the US, rather than China, following the COVID-19 outbreak in China.”

Exports to China fall

In contrast to rises in exports to all New Zealand’s other main markets, exports to China fell $120 million in February 2020.

The leading contributors to the fall in exports to China were:

• untreated logs (down $80 million)
• sheep meat (down $73 million)
• beef (down $65 million)
• fish (down $40 million).

These falls were offset by a rise in milk powder, up $90 million on February 2019. This was led by a 30 percent increase in average unit values. The quantity exported also rose, up 13 percent.

Goods imports fall

The value of goods imports in February 2020 fell $475 million (9.9 percent) from February 2019, with falls across all major categories of imported goods.

The leading contributor to the fall was industrial transport equipment (such as aircraft), down $161 million from high levels a year ago. Intermediate goods (products imported as inputs in the production of other goods and services, such as crude oil), fell $134 million; consumer goods fell $92 million.

Imports fell across many of New Zealand’s top markets (except for the US). The largest of the falls was China (down $218 million or 22 percent), with falls in clothing, furniture, and laptops.

“In February 2020, imports from China fell by over 20 percent from same month in 2019,” Mr Allan said.

Trade surplus

The monthly trade balance in February 2020 was a surplus of $594 million. In the previous 10 February months, there were eight surpluses and two deficits.

See A glance at NZ trade with China after the coronavirus outbreak – 18 March update for an earlier release of provisional trade statistics.

About 100,000 New Zealand residents travelling overseas – Media release

19 March 2020

An estimated 100,000–110,000 New Zealand residents are travelling overseas as of mid-March 2020, Stats NZ said today. Of these, about two-thirds are New Zealand citizens and one-third are non-New Zealand citizens.

The estimate is an indication of how many New Zealand residents may return in the coming weeks using International Travel data. It is based on departures of New Zealand residents in recent months who have not arrived back in New Zealand. New Zealand residents are people who had been living in New Zealand for at least the last year, before they departed, irrespective of the nationality of their passport.

The government this week encouraged short-term travellers to return to New Zealand, given international travel restrictions due to the spread of COVID-19 around the world.

Estimates published by Stats NZ, currently available to the end of 2019, show that relatively few New Zealand residents are travelling overseas in March each year. In March 2019 there was an average of 106,000 travelling overseas, and in March 2018 the average was 97,000. The highest peaks coincide with school holiday, Christmas, and Easter periods. (Source: Infoshare, Subject category: Tourism, Group: International Travel and Migration, Table: NZ-resident travellers – average number overseas each day by main destination (Monthly)).

In addition to the above estimate of short-term New Zealand-resident travellers, another 90,000 migrant departures left New Zealand over the last year. Some of these people may choose to return to New Zealand.

There are also between 600,000 and one million New Zealanders living overseas, depending on how New Zealanders are defined. For example, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates 570,000 New Zealand-born living in Australia at 30 June 2019. This estimate excludes Australian-born children of those people.

We will be publishing comprehensive international travel statistics for March 2020 on 14 May 2020, in International travel: March 2020.

Services drive GDP growth – Media release

19 March 2020

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.5 percent in the December 2019 quarter, after a 0.8 percent rise in the previous quarter, Stats NZ said today.

“Growth this quarter was led by a 0.6 percent rise in the service industries, while primary industries grew 0.5 percent,” national accounts senior manager Ruvani Ratnayake said.

“Growth was mixed at the industry level, with 11 of the 16 industries recording increases.”

Rental, hiring, and real estate led growth in the service industries with a 1.1 percent rise. Public administration and safety (up 2.8 percent) was another notable contributor. Transport, postal, and warehousing was also up 1.5 percent.

“Mining led the growth in the primary industries sector,” Ms Ratnayake said.

Goods-producing industries grew 0.1 percent in the December quarter, driven by increases in electricity, gas, water, and waste services, and construction. Offsetting these increases was a fall in manufacturing.

Household spending grew 0.3 percent this quarter, as annual growth slowed to its lowest level in six years, at 2.7 percent.

“Reduced spending on short shelf-life goods such as food, beverages, and tobacco slowed the growth in household consumption this quarter,” Ms Ratnayake said.

GDP per capita rose 0.2 percent this quarter, following a 0.5 percent increase in the September 2019 quarter.

Annual GDP growth for the year ended December 2019 was 2.3 percent, compared with a 3.2 percent growth in the year ended December 2018.

Annual growth in GDP has been slowing since December 2016 when it was 3.9 percent. From the December 2016 year, annual growth in the services industries (which make up about two-thirds of the economy) halved from 4.1 percent to 2.1 percent in the December 2019 year.

The size of the economy in current prices was $311 billion.

The spread of COVID-19 in early 2020 will not have affected this quarter’s statistics as it occurred after the period covered by this release. The impacts of COVID-19, along with the drought and drought-relief package announced by Government on 12 March, will be seen in the March 2020 quarter results, due for release on 18 June 2020.

A glance at NZ trade with China after the coronavirus outbreak – 18 March update – Media release

18 March 2020

Daily goods trade data between 1 February and 10 March gives an updated glance at New Zealand’s trade with China and the world since the COVID-19 outbreak, Stats NZ said today.

The high-level graphs released today show total export and import values, and export and import values to and from China.

CSV files also include key export commodities to China of meat, seafood, dairy, and forestry products. Other values include exports to East Asia (excluding China) and trade with Australia.

The data is provisional and should be regarded as an early, indicative estimate of intentions to trade only, subject to revision.

The data compares the 1 February and 10 March 2020 against previous years. This allows for an estimate to be made of what may have happened to trade, if they had followed typical patterns.

On 10 March, a comparison was released for the period 1 February 2020 to 29 February 2020 against previous years.

Stats NZ urges caution in making decisions based on this provisional data.

See Provisional indications – effects of coronavirus outbreak on New Zealand trade with China.