NEW ZEALAND
A
Regional
Profile
OTAGO
Published in November 1999 by
Statistics New Zealand
Te Tari Tatau
Wellington, New Zealand
Catalogue Number 01.717.IN98
ISBN 0-478-20708-5
Recommended retail price $15.00
(includes 12.5% GST)
Preface
New Zealand - A Regional Profile aims to summarise information about all 16 regions in New Zealand
into one comprehensive volume.
What do regions mean to New Zealanders? Essentially they are a place to live, a focus for
parochialism on the sports field and a source of local identity. If you asked a Southlander, “Do you
see yourself as being different to a Nelsonian”, they would answer firmly, “Yes”. Defining regional
qualities is, however, rather less definitive. What does it really mean to be a Cantabrian, a
Northlander or a Wellingtonian? How does the region of residence affect the individual in terms of
employment choices, income, access to health and educational services? This publication explores
how the history, topography, social, demographic and economic forces in each region have shaped
experiences. While it cannot exactly describe each individual in Northland or Canterbury, the
publication can show the most distinctive characteristics of each region.
The publication has a two-fold purpose: to provide a comprehensive source of information about
each region in New Zealand; and to analyse each region, comparing differences and similarities,
with the aim of celebrating regional diversity in New Zealand. The sixteen chapters examine the
history, topography, population characteristics and economy of each region. Information is presented
in written, graphic and tabular form.
I would like to acknowledge my appreciation of Dr Rosemary Goodyear, Aaron Green and Rochelle
Morgan of the Regional and International Statistics Division who contributed to this report, under
the direction of Zane Colville.
Len Cook
Government Statistician
Blank Page 4
Acknowledgement
This report was prepared by the Regional and International Statistics Division and published by the
Publishing and Community Information Division of Statistics New Zealand.
Further information
For further information on the statistics in this report, or on other publications or products, contact
Information and Consultancy Services.
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Blank Page 6
CONTENTS
Page
Highlights
Introduction
History
The land and environment
Topography
Soil and climate
Environment
Regional features
The people
Population structure
Migration
Age structure
Ethnicity
Religion
Education
Labour market
Access to services
Dwellings
Households and families
Number of children
Income and expenditure
Health
Crime
9
9
10
12
12
12
13
14
14
14
15
17
18
19
19
20
22
23
23
24
25
27
28
The economy
30
Business
Minerals
Energy
Agriculture
Horticulture
Forestry
Buildings
Retail trade
Tourism
Transport
30
30
31
31
32
32
33
34
34
35
Definitions
Bibliography
37
45
Blank Page 8
Otago
Highlights
•
Otago is the third-largest region in New
Zealand, with a land area of 31,990 square
kilometres.
•
Otago was originally a Scottish settlement.
•
It is relatively sparsely populated with only
185,085 people (usually resident population at
5 March 1996), and a population density of 5.8
people per square kilometre.
•
Dunedin is the main urban centre in the region
with almost 120,000 residents.
•
Otago has the lowest proportion of children in
the country but the highest proportion of young
adults (people aged between 15 and 24).
•
Otago has the lowest proportion of Mäori in
the country (6.1 percent). More than nine in
10 people claimed European ethnicity.
•
Education is very important in the region. Otago established the first university in New
Zealand and now has the highest proportion of full-time students. There are approximately
20,000 tertiary students in Dunedin.
•
The average farm size in Otago is the largest in New Zealand, 656 hectares compared with
the national average of 251 hectares.
Introduction
Otago formed part of a wider area of Te Wai Pounamu (South Island) which has been christened
Murihiku. Below the limits of horticulture, particularly kumara growing, Mäori relied on hunting
and gathering, feasting on seals, moa, fish and birds. Because of the harsher conditions, numbers of
Mäori in this area were never large. A succession of iwi invaded the region, conquering and
intermarrying with existing populations. European settlement occurred relatively early as sealers
and whalers set up small settlements in the region, often intermarrying with the local iwi (Ngäi
Tahu). Mäori participated in this new industry and adopted European crops. The arrival of
substantial numbers of European settlers from the 1840s onwards disrupted this balance and they,
rather than Ngäi Tahu or whalers, dominated the new province of Otago.
9
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
In the nineteenth century, gold, wool and a strong Scottish heritage shaped the development of
Otago. This legacy is evident in the Presbyterian churches and educational buildings of the region’s
capital, Dunedin, the gold field trails of central Otago, and the extensive pastoral farming that still
occurs in the region. Otago, like Canterbury, was also a Wakefield settlement, but it was less
prosperous since the Free Church of Scotland (a Presbyterian offshoot) had little money or
resources. The settlement struggled until the gold rushes of the 1860s, when the population of
Otago expanded rapidly. The original founders of Otago were dismayed by the influx of single men
and feared that the moral tone of the settlement would be destroyed. Gold caused Otago to prosper,
however, and for a brief period in the 1870s and 1880s Dunedin was New Zealand’s pre-eminent
city. A mini-industrial boom occurred and pastoralism opened up the countryside. However, by the
1890s, Dunedin had lost its dominance and the region declined in power and importance throughout
the twentieth century.
Otago now bears its history proudly, partly because a lack of significant growth in the twentieth
century meant a slower rate of development, allowing the region to preserve many historic
buildings. The Scottish emphasis on education has resulted in the establishment of many fine
schools and tertiary institutions, especially the University of Otago. Dunedin City has become an
educational centre and much of the city’s economy relies on the presence of approximately 20,000
students who attend either the university, teacher’s college or polytechnic. The rest of the region is
far more rural in character, relying on rural industries and farming for survival. While Dunedin City
is the region’s capital, the most significant growth in the region has occurred in Queenstown, now a
tourist mecca. The population of the Queenstown-Lakes District expanded rapidly in the 10 years
to 1996 and is projected to have one of the fastest growth rates nationally by the year 2021. Tourism,
and perhaps the expanding wine industry, will become the region’s new “gold”.
History
By 1100
Southern Mäori had extensively explored the river valleys of Murihiku (southern
New Zealand, including South Canterbury).
1000-1770
Mäori settlers in the region are hunter-gatherers. Seals and moa form an important
part of their diet but over-hunting causes a decline in numbers around the late
fourteenth century. The Mäori population falls sharply as a result. Fish become a
major food staple, as does fern root and small birds. In the fifteenth or sixteenth
centuries Ngäti Mamoe invades in search of pounamu (greenstone), then in the
seventeenth century Ngäi Tahu (originally a hapu of Ngäti Kahungunu) conquer
and intermarry with Ngäti Mamoe.
1798-1800
American sealers establish sealing gangs on Murihiku.
1817
Otakou Mäori exact utu (revenge) on Captain Kelly’s crew at Whareakeake Beach,
killing two men.
1829
The first whaling stations are established along the coast, including important
stations at Moeraki, Waikouaiti, Purakaunui, Otakou and Taieri Mouth.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
10
1835
Influenza and measles affect the southern Ngai Tahu, although it is not known how
many people have died. The Mäori population in Otago is approximately 500 by
the mid-1840s.
1844
The Otakou purchase includes the site of Dunedin. Tuhawaiki, paramount Ngai
Tahu rangatira, is drowned.
1848
Dunedin founded as a Free Church of Scotland settlement.
1861
Gabriel Read strikes gold at “Gabriel’s Gully”. When he publicises his find the rush
to Tuapeka starts. In the 1860s gold makes Otago the most populous and prosperous
settlement in New Zealand. The first Chinese arrive in New Zealand to work the
goldfields in 1866. Sir Julius Vogel moves to Otago. He joins the Otago Witness and
later in the year founds New Zealand’s first daily paper, the Otago Daily Times.
1862
The town of Clyde begins to develop, supplies are brought over the Dunstan Trail
from Dunedin.
1865
Dunedin becomes a city.
1869
The University of Otago, New Zealand’s first university, is founded.
1871
Otago Girls’ High School, the first girls’ secondary school in the country is opened.
1873
The First Church of Otago, designed by R. A. Lawson, is erected on Bell Hill.
1874
The first woollen mills in New Zealand are established at Mosgiel.
1876
A bridge is built across the Clutha River.
1879
Dunedin becomes the first city outside the United States to have its own tram
system.
1882
The first shipment of frozen meat sails from Port Chalmers, in the ship Dunedin,
opening a new era in New Zealand farming.
1884
The Dunedin Public Art Gallery is founded.
1906
Dr Truby King founds the Plunket Society in Dunedin. In 1909 the first Karitane
hospital is built.
1912
The Earnslaw first sails, carrying families, supplies and stock to isolated sheep
stations along Lake Wakatipu.
11
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
1925
Dunedin hosts the Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition - three million tickets sold.
1989
The Clyde Dam, the largest concrete dam in the country, is completed.
1994
Dunedin City joins with Ngäi Tahu in commemorating the 1844 Otakou purchase.
1996
Queenstown becomes an international airport.
1998
Otago celebrates 150 years of European settlement, and re-enacts the arrival of the
John Wickliffe and the Phillip Laing.
The land and environment
Topography
Otago is the third-largest region in New Zealand. Its land area consists of 31,990 square kilometres,
which is 11.6 percent of New Zealand’s total land mass. The West Coast and Southland border
Otago to the west and south, the Pacific Ocean marks the eastern border and Canterbury provides
the northern-most boundary. The region’s highest mountain is Mt Earnslaw (2,819 metres), and it
has three major lakes, of which Lake Wakatipu (293 square kilometres) is the largest. The Clutha
river is 322 kilometres long and carries the largest volume of water of any river in the country. The
Mt Aspiring National Park, an important wilderness, recreational and climbing area, is partly
situated in Otago.
Considerable variety exists in Otago’s topography. The Western Otago landscape has been moulded
by glaciation, inland Otago, although originally flat, has been deeply scarred by wind and water
erosion, creating a rugged landscape, while volcanic cones and old lava flows have shaped the land
around Dunedin. Most rock in the Otago landscape consists of the ancient Haast Schist group, and
coastal lands which were once under the ocean, are composed of ancient marine sediments. These
are often covered with limestone or sandstone formations and, in some areas a type of mudstone,
which is very prone to instability.1
Soil and climate
Loess soils blanket the river plains, downlands, basins and ranges, which are intersected by
numerous watercourses. On the downlands of North Otago there are deep soils where loess has
mixed with minerals, and these fertile soils are suitable for cropping.2 The most fertile soils in the
region are on the plains of the Taieri and Inchclutha where flooding has deposited rich humus and
silt. Soils in Central Otago are less fertile and vary from arid brown grey earths on ridges, to yellowgrey earths which are of good texture. The high country soils are vulnerable to erosion and human
intervention. 3
1
2
3
M.J. Crozier, ‘Slope Instability in Lowland Otago’, in Geoff Kearsley & Blair Fitzharris (eds.), Southern Landscapes: Essays in Honour of
Bill Brockie & Ray Hargreaves, Department of Geography, University of Otago, 1990, pp.129-145. C.A.Cotton, ‘Otago’s Physiography’, in
B.J.Gernir (ed.), The Face of Otago, Whitcombe & Tombs, Dunedin, 1948, pp.1-17.
D.L. Hicks, ‘Small Water Courses in Otago and Southland’, in Southern Landscapes, pp.199-211.
A.F.Mark, ‘Ecological and Nature Conservation Values: the Case for a Conservation Park’, in Southern Landscapes, pp.233-253.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
12
Otago, like Canterbury, is a region with considerable contrast in climate. The Southern Alps, which
divide the South Island, affect rainfall distribution in the region. Central Otago is the driest area in
New Zealand, with a semi-arid continental climate, receiving less than 500 millimetres of rain per
year. In contrast, a few kilometres to the west, the mountain ranges receive 2,000 to 4,000
millimetres per year. Coastal Otago is considered dry and receives 500 to 1,000 millimetres rainfall
per year.
This strong climatic contrast is also apparent in the number of sunshine hours and average
temperatures. Central Otago receives a higher than average number of sunshine hours with 2,071
sunshine hours per annum in Alexandra. Although Central Otago receives greater sunshine, it also
experiences more extreme contrasts in temperature. Alexandra has a maximum mid-summer daily
average of 230C and a minimum mid-winter daily average of -20C. The lowest temperature ever
recorded in New Zealand was -220C at Ophir in Central Otago, on 3 July 1995. Dunedin, in
contrast, has a minimum mid-winter daily average of 30C and a maximum mid-summer average of
190C. The city receives well below-average sunshine hours with 1,662 sunshine hours per annum.
Environment
The Otago Regional Council is responsible for ensuring that sustainable land practices are employed
within the region and that animal pests and noxious plants are eradicated where possible. The
council has prepared and implemented a pest monitoring and enforcement programme.
The council is very active in encouraging the community to participate in resolving sustainable land
use issues. The council also investigates a wide range of agricultural and industrial sites annually
and prepares management plans to improve land care procedures.
Otago is now home to a number of introduced pests including rabbits, hares, possums and rooks as
well as plants such as nasella tussock, gorse, broom and old man’s beard. All of these pests cause
considerable damage to the environment and cost millions of dollars annually to control. The
Otago Regional Council monitors a number of bio-control sites, has established numerous farmer
groups and conducted several field days to promote the pest monitoring and enforcement programme.
The recent unauthorised release of the RCD virus has considerably reduced rabbit numbers in the
region.
Some areas of Otago are prone to damage from flooding. A range of remedial work has been
undertaken including the maintenance of river stopbanks, drainage systems and vegetation
management designed to alleviate the effects of floods and to provide adequate drainage for low
lying land. An area at particular risk is the Taieri Plain, which is also the location of Dunedin airport.
This area has flooded extensively in the past, however the installation of a pump station at Lake
Ascog and maintenance of the East Taieri area ponding spillway may improve the situation.
13
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Regional features
Tourism is one of the major industries in the Otago Region. The Queenstown-Lakes District is a
major tourist destination in New Zealand and attracts a diverse range of visitors seeking attractive
landscapes, skiing in winter and adventure tourism. The small township of Glenorchy, at the head
of Lake Wakatipu, gives access to the Mt Aspiring National Park, including the popular Routeburn,
Rees-Dart and Greenstone tramps. Coastal Otago provides the opportunity for wildlife observation,
particularly seals, penguins and the Royal albatross. Dunedin City has a number of attractively
preserved buildings which were built during the golden period after the gold rushes brought
prosperity to the region.
The people
Population structure
Although Otago had the second-largest population of any South Island region, with 185,085 people
in March 1996, this was only the seventh-largest population in New Zealand. Population estimates
released since the census calculate that on 30 June 1997 the population of Otago reached 188,900.
This represents a population growth of 0.2 percent between 1996 and 1997, well below the New
Zealand average of 1.3 percent.4 Between 1986 and 1996, the population increased by 3.7 percent,
compared with the New Zealand average of 10.9 percent. This reflects the generally lower
population growth in the South Island, although the difference in growth rates between islands
narrowed between 1991 and 1996. The Otago Region experiences substantially different growth
rates at a territorial authority level.
Figure 15.1
Usually Resident Population by Territorial Authority, 1986-1996
Territorial authority
Waitaki District
Central Otago District
Queenstown-Lakes District
Dunedin City
Clutha District
1986
1991
22,374
16,359
8,316
114,093
19,545
21,888
14,967
9,984
114,504
18,213
1996
Percentage
change
1986-1991
21,573
14.955
14,286
118,143
18,006
-2.2
-8.5
20.1
0.4
-6.8
Percentage
change
1991-1996
-1.4
-0.1
43.1
3.2
-1.1
Percentage
change
1986-1996
-3.6
-8.6
71.8
3.6
-7.9
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1986, 1991, 1996
Population projections estimate that between 1996 and 2021 the Waitaki, Clutha and Central
Otago Districts will lose population, with Waitaki and Central Otago losing approximately 18
percent of their population. Dunedin City will experience a modest population increase of 2.9
percent, while the Queenstown-Lakes District (with 14,286 residents) is projected to grow by 61.5
percent between 30 June 1996 and 30 June 2021.5
4
5
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Subnational Population Estimates.
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Subnational Population Projections.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
14
At 5 March 1996 the region was relatively sparsely populated with a population density of 5.8
people per square kilometre, well below the New Zealand average of 13.1. Otago was slightly more
rural than the average for New Zealand (80.3 percent lived in urban areas compared with 85.4
percent nationally). A huge difference emerged throughout the region, however, with the majority
of the Clutha and Central Otago Districts being rural.
Figure 15.2
Rural/Urban Distribution in Otago, 1996
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
Migration6
Otago lost population to the north, mainly to Canterbury, Wellington and Marlborough, but it
gained 2,688 people from Southland. For the five-year period ending March 1996 the total net gain
by overseas migration was only 747 people. Otago did not experience a large overseas migration gain
as most overseas migrants settled in the Auckland or Canterbury Regions.
6
For definitions of internal and overseas migration, refer to glossary.
15
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Figure 15.3
Net Gains and Losses Through Internal Migration, 1991-1996
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
Between 1991 and 1996, migrants to Otago were largely in the highly mobile 15 to 24 age group,
whereas the majority of people leaving Otago were slightly older (25 to 39 age group). These figures
probably reflect the yearly influx of students to the region, many of whom leave afterwards to gain
employment elsewhere.
Figure15.4
Age Group of People Migrating to Otago, 1991-1996
Percent
Origin
Canterbury
Southland
Wellington
Tasman
Nelson
Marlborough
Age group (years)
0-14
15-24
25-39
40-59
60-74
75+
Total
12.4
12.7
9.9
13.3
8.8
6.1
36.6
39.6
46.3
45.7
56.3
47.4
29.6
21.6
30.2
21.9
18.1
21.1
14.7
17.9
9.9
13.3
11.9
15.8
4.7
6.7
3.1
3.8
4.4
4.4
2.0
1.5
0.5
1.0
1.3
4.4
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
16
Figure 15.5
Age Group of People Migrating from Otago, 1991-1996
Percent
Destination
Canterbury
Southland
Wellington
Tasman
Nelson
Marlborough
Age group (years)
0-14
15-24
25-39
40-59
60-74
75+
Total
14.6
16.2
8.4
14.6
12.1
14.6
27.8
23.0
33.4
20.3
20.9
24.1
31.0
34.8
45.0
33.3
38.5
25.9
18.4
16.6
10.7
20.3
19.2
23.4
5.7
6.0
1.7
7.3
6.0
9.5
2.5
3.2
0.8
4.9
2.7
2.5
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
Age structure
The Otago Region has an unusual age structure since it has the smallest proportion of children in
New Zealand, but the highest proportion of 15 to 24-year-olds. Proportions of elderly, although
higher than the national average, almost exactly mirrored the South Island pattern. Therefore,
although Otago has a lower proportion of children and a higher proportion of elderly than the
national average, its median age, at 33.6 years, was only slightly over the national average of 33.0
years.
Figure 15.6
Age Distribution of Otago Residents, 1996
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
A high proportion of migrants to Otago were in the 15 to 24 age group. This possibly reflects the
influence of Dunedin since it has a large population of students. On census night in 1996, a fifth of
all people in Dunedin were between the ages of 15 and 24 years of age. The Waitaki District and
Central Otago District had very low proportions of young adults, indicating that people in this age
group have moved out of the area for education or employment.
17
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Figure 15.7
Age Distribution in Otago by Territorial Authority, 1996
Percent
Area
Age group (years)
Median age
0-14
15-24
25-59
60
and over
21.3
21.8
17.7
18.9
23.6
11.6
11.3
15.6
20.7
13.1
45.0
46.8
53.2
43.7
47.5
22.1
20.1
13.5
16.7
15.9
Waitaki District7
Central Otago District
Queenstown-Lakes District
Dunedin City
Clutha District
38.1
37.7
32.8
32.3
34.3
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
Ethnicity
In Otago, as in the rest of the South Island, approximately nine out of every 10 people are European.
Ethnicity in Otago was similar, although not identical, to the Canterbury Region. The proportion of
Mäori (6.1 percent of people identified with Mäori ethnicity) in Otago is smaller than in any other
region. Historical factors account for this situation, because Mäori populations were small in preEuropean times and introduced European diseases depleted Mäori in Otago in the 1830s and 1840s.
Otago also largely missed out on the post-war migration of Mäori since it did not have a large
manufacturing base. However, the Mäori population in Otago is expected to increase by 46 percent
during the next 25 years, to reach a total of 16,600 in 2021. This is slightly higher than the projected
national average of 41 percent for this ethnic group, but lower than the projected increase of 52
percent in Canterbury.8 Pacific Islands and other ethnic groups are also under-represented, although
Otago’s Asian population is closer to the national average (3.0 percent identified with Asian
ethnicity compared with 5.0 percent nationally).
Figure 15.8
Ethnicity in Otago, 1996
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
7
8
Part of the Waitaki District is included in the Canterbury Region, however most of the population is concentrated in Otago.
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Subnational Mäori Population Projections.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
18
One ethnic group, although small, has contributed to diversity within the region, and made a
substantial impact on the regional economy. Historically, the Chinese have always been a small but
significant presence since the gold rushes of the 1860s. Many gold miners later became market
gardeners and ran small businesses. At 1.5 percent, the proportion of people identifying with
Chinese ethnicity in Otago is slightly higher than in any other South Island region, and it had the
greatest proportion of New Zealand-born Chinese in the South Island.
Religion
The legacy of the original Scottish settlement of Otago was apparent in the high proportion of
Presbyterians in the region, 29.1 percent compared with 13.7 percent nationally at the time of the
1996 Census. Only Southland, which was included in the original settlement, had a greater
proportion of Presbyterians (35.3 percent). Conversely, the proportion of Anglicans is much lower
than the national average (11.9 percent compared with 18.4 percent nationally). This difference is
even more striking when the proportions of Presbyterians in the total Christian population is
examined.
Figure 15.9
Main Christian Denominations,
Percent of Total Christians, 1996
Percent
Religion
Anglican
Catholic
Presbyterian
Methodist
Other Christian
Otago
New Zealand
18.3
19.0
44.8
3.0
15.0
28.9
21.6
21.5
5.6
22.5
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
Education
The Scots immigrants, when they arrived in Otago in 1848, had a firm commitment to education.
Originally church schools provided education but, with Otago’s increasing wealth in the 1860s, the
Dunedin settlement established substantial educational institutions. In the 1860s and 1870s they
built a boy’s secondary school, followed by a girl’s secondary school, as well as the first university in
New Zealand. Today a significantly higher proportion of the employed population (8.3 percent
compared with 6.9 percent nationally on 5 March 1996) works in education.
The commitment to education is apparent in the region, which had a lower percentage of people
with no qualifications (36.4 percent compared with 38.1 percent nationally), and more so when
compared with the whole South Island where 38.9 percent of adults had no qualifications on
census night in 1996. The percentage of adults with a higher school qualification was almost twice
the national average (9.9 percent compared with 5.6 percent nationally).
19
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Figure 15.10
Selected Highest Educational Qualifications by Territorial Authority, 1996
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
The presence of the university in Dunedin makes a significant difference to the proportion of people
with a higher degree (5.2 percent compared with the New Zealand average of 3.2 percent). In the
Otago Region, Dunedin City and the Queenstown-Lakes District has a greater proportion of people
with higher qualifications and the lowest proportion of people with no qualifications (25.6 percent
in the Queenstown-Lakes District and 33.1 percent in Dunedin City).
Labour market
Otago has a lower labour force participation rate (62.6 percent of the working age population) than
the national average of 65.4 percent. This situation could possibly be attributed to the number of
young adults engaged in study. On 5 March 1996 there were 22,674 people studying in Otago, and
16,296 of these were full-time students. A total of 16.3 percent of adults (who specified their
studying status) were engaged in full or part-time study, which was the highest rate in the country.
Unemployment in Otago was 7.5 percent of the labour force on census night in 1996, which was
very close to the national average of 7.7 percent. Rates varied considerably within the region
however, with Dunedin City having the highest unemployment rate and the lowest labour force
participation rate. Unemployment rates for 15 to 19-year-olds and 20 to 24-year-olds were very high
in Dunedin City (24.4 percent for the former and 17.5 percent for the latter), contributing
significantly to the higher unemployment rate in the city, although unemployment in Dunedin City
was higher across all age groups. In contrast, the Queenstown-Lakes District had an extremely low
unemployment rate, at less than 3 percent, and a labour force participation rate well above the
national average.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
20
Figure 15.11
Labour Force Characteristics within Otago, 1996
Area
Waitaki District
Central Otago District
Queenstown-Lakes District
Dunedin City
Clutha District
Otago
Unemployment
rate
5.9
4.3
2.5
9.5
4.1
7.5
Labour force
participation rate
60.6
65.4
76.7
60.2
68.1
62.6
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
The more rural nature of the region is confirmed by employment statistics which show that a higher
than average proportion of people work in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries (11.4
percent compared with 9.8 nationally).
Figure 15.12
Percent of Workforce Employed by Industry, 1996
Industry
Otago
New Zealand
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Accommodation cafes and restaurants
Finance and insurance services
Property and business services
Education
Health and community services
11.4
13.2
3.8
13.6
7.4
2.5
8.4
8.3
8.6
9.8
15.2
6.2
13.1
4.5
3.4
10.5
6.9
7.1
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
Tourism is also of major importance to the regional economy, especially in the Queenstown-Lakes
District with adventure and alpine tourism and in Dunedin with heritage and eco-tourism. A
considerably higher proportion of the population than the national average (7.4 percent compared
with 4.5 percent nationally) work in the accommodation industry or in cafes and restaurants.
Education is one of the region’s major industries and on census night 1996 greater proportions of
people in which Otago worked in education (8.3 percent compared with 6.9 percent nationally).
Otago had twice the proportion of higher education lecturers, reflecting the importance of Dunedin’s
tertiary institutions.
Fewer people in Otago were employed in manufacturing, or in the property and business industries.
Manufacturing was more significant in the Clutha and Waitaki Districts.
21
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Figure 15.13
Employment by Selected Industry for Territorial Authorities, 1996
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
Access to services
The health industry has been a major employer in the Otago Region, partly because of the large
proportions of elderly, but also because of the location of the Otago Medical School in Dunedin.
This is reflected in the high proportion of medical professionals in the Otago population. The
presence of the dental school at Otago University may account for the higher than average
proportion of dentists in the population.
Figure 15.14
Access to Professional Services, 1996
Ratio of population to one professional
Otago
New Zealand
Engineers
Surveyors
General practitioners
Other medical professionals
Dentists and dental surgeons
Pharmacists
Nurses
Teachers
Barristers and solicitors
266
1,667
894
636
2,203
1,763
114
73
611
209
2,388
1,040
883
2,798
1,939
130
71
547
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
22
Dwellings
At census night in 1996 most dwellings in Otago (83.7 percent), in common with most dwellings in
New Zealand (81.8 percent), were separate houses, rather than multi-unit dwellings. These figures,
and the number of dwellings (over two-thirds in Otago) that were owned rather than rented, reflect
the New Zealand ethos of owning a home and some land. A slightly higher proportion of houses in
Otago were owned without a mortgage (34.3 percent compared with 32.3 percent nationally). This
reflects lower house prices in the region (except for the Queenstown-Lakes District) but possibly
also the higher proportion of elderly in the population. Dunedin’s mean house price, at $111,891,
was lower than national average of $178,966 as at June 1997.9
Households and families
Otago had the highest proportion of people in multi-person households (7.5 percent compared with
5.4 percent nationally). This can probably be explained by the large numbers of students in
Dunedin City who share a flat with others.
Figure 15.15
Family Type, 1996
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
9
Source: Quotable Value New Zealand.
23
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Figure 15.16
Family Type and Number of Dependent Children, 1996
Family type and number of dependent children
Otago Canterbury New Zealand
(percent) (percent)
(percent)
One-parent family
One child
Two children
Three or more children
Total one-parent families
12.1
7.3
3.0
22.3
13.4
7.6
3.2
24.1
13.8
8.2
4.5
26.5
Two-parent family
One child
Two children
Three or more children
Total two-parent families
25.5
32.8
19.5
77.8
26.6
31.5
17.8
75.9
25.3
29.1
19.1
73.5
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
Otago, like Canterbury, has a lower number of people per dwelling, 2.69 people compared with 2.83
for New Zealand. The smaller proportion of children, and comparably higher proportion of adults,
partly accounts for this difference. Otago also has a higher than average proportion of couple-only
families. Although there were fewer children in Otago, two-parent families had a higher than
average proportion of dependent children, and a higher proportion of dependent children than
neighbouring Canterbury.
Number of children
The Otago Region has the smallest percentage of children of any region in New Zealand. Historically,
however, Otago women have given birth to approximately the average number of children (2.81
children per mother). The smaller proportion of children in Otago is probably a consequence of the
large number of elderly, as the young adult population who come to Otago to study are unlikely to
have children, and many leave the region after studying, to gain employment elsewhere. Vital
statistics reveal a higher concentration of women giving birth at older ages than the national
average.
Figure 15.17
Age Group of Otago Mothers, 1990 - 1997
Age group (years)
11-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
Otago
(percent)
New Zealand
(percent)
0.0
5.7
19.0
34.4
29.9
9.6
1.3
0.1
8.6
25.5
34.4
23.0
7.3
1.1
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Vital Statistics
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
24
Income and expenditure
Annual median household incomes in Otago (for the year ended 31 March 1996) were the thirdlowest in the South Island, and, at $29,979, were well below the national figure of $34,707. Median
personal incomes were also lower ($13,687 compared with $15,603 nationally). There are a number
of factors that could account for this lower than average income.
It seems likely that the large proportion of students and elderly in the adult population would lower
the median income and result in reduced household expenditure. Certainly Dunedin City, with
approximately 16,000 full-time students, also had the lowest median personal income in the region,
$13,099, whereas the Queenstown-Lakes District had the highest personal median income of
$19,372. Unemployment figures were also higher in Dunedin and labour force participation rates
lower, especially when compared with the Queenstown-Lakes District. The median national
income for a person not in employment was $9,111. The high proportion of people engaged in the
agriculture, forestry or fishing industries would probably have affected income statistics as well since
the median annual wage for people engaged in this industry was only $18,648 on 5 March 1996.
Median household incomes were considerably higher in the Queenstown-Lakes District as was
average household expenditure.
Figure 15.18
Median Household Income, by Territorial Authority, 1996
Source: Statistics New Zealand, 1996 Census of Population and Dwellings
This lower than average income and lower overall cost of living was reflected in lower average
annual household expenditure of $27,918 compared with $33,145 nationally.
25
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Figure 15.19
Average Annual Household Expenditure, 1997
Otago
Item
Food
Housing group
Household operation(1)
Apparel
Transportation
Other goods group
Other services
Total
Number
($)
5,103
3,371
4,356
1,380
4,851
3,596
5,260
27,918
New Zealand
Percent
Number
($)
Percent
18.3
12.1
15.6
4.9
17.4
12.9
18.8
100.0
5,431
6,719
4,546
1,246
6,033
3,814
5,355
33,145
16.4
20.3
13.7
3.8
18.2
11.5
16.2
100.0
(1) The household operation category covers the cost of running a household, and includes
such items as heating, the purchase of households items (eg furniture) and any non-food
household services
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Regional Household Expenditure Database
People in Otago spend more money proportionately on food and less on housing than the average
for New Zealand. Although households in the Queenstown-Lakes District spend the most numerically
on food ($5,398 per annum) they spend the least proportionally on food, a reflection of the high
cost of housing in the district. Lower house prices in the Otago Region (except in the QueenstownLakes District) probably account for reduced expenditure on housing but Otago people also spend
the least of any region on transportation. Otago people have fewer motor cars per household than
the national average (13.8 percent have none compared with 12.0 percent for New Zealand). The
contrast is particularly striking when comparing Otago with Canterbury, which has a higher rate of
car ownership. Households in Dunedin spend less proportionally on transportation (16.6 percent of
average household expenditure). The Dunedin urban area is fairly compact and the presence of
some 20,000 students, most of whom live close to university, teachers’ college or polytech, must
have an impact on these figures.
Figure 15.20
Number of Motor Vehicles Per Household for Otago
and Canterbury
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 1996
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
26
Health
Otago has six hospitals (including Queenstown hospital which is under the jurisdiction of Southland),
with the two major hospitals in the region located in Dunedin. At September 1997 Dunedin
hospital (a major teaching hospital) had a total of 474 beds, while Wakari had 360 beds.10 Wakari
hospital is more specialised and has a geriatric care unit. There were more hospital beds per head of
population than the average for New Zealand (one bed for every 194 people, compared with an
average for New Zealand of one hospital bed for 242 people). Again this could be a reflection of the
larger proportion of elderly in the region, with their greater need for services. Although there was an
above average number of hospital beds in the Otago Region, waiting lists in the South Island (not
including Nelson/Marlborough) were the longest in the country, so it is difficult to estimate the
accessibility of health-care.
Hospital discharge data shows that 26,689 people were discharged from hospitals in Otago for the
year ended 30 June 1996, a decrease of 3.3 percent from the previous 12-month period. This
compares with a 4.4 percent increase in discharges in the Canterbury Region (not including South
Canterbury) and a 4.1 percent increase for New Zealand.11 However, the region does have an above
average number of medical practitioners. The Ministry of Health calculates that, as at 1996, there
were 84.0 active general practitioners, per 100,000 population in Otago, above the average of 81.1
for New Zealand.
A boy born in Otago could expect to live 74.7 years, a girl 80.4 years (1995 to 1997 figures).
Residents of Otago have a life expectancy of 77.6 years, the fourth-highest life expectancy in New
Zealand.12 This higher life expectancy is probably related to the higher proportion of Europeans in
the population, who tend to have a greater life expectancy. Two indicators of the health status of the
Otago population, smoking rates and infant mortality, are slightly lower than the national average.
In 1996, 22.8 percent of adults in Otago were regular smokers, compared with 23.7 percent
nationally. In the years 1992 to 1996, infant mortality in Otago was lower, at 6.2 deaths per 1,000
live births on average, than the New Zealand figure of 7.0 deaths.13 Rates were on average higher
than for the neighbouring Canterbury Region, but considerably lower than for the Southland
Region.
10
11
12
13
Source: Ministry of Health.
Source: Purchasing for your health 1995/96: A performance report on the third year of the Regional Health Authorities, Ministry of Health,
1995/6
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Regional Life Tables, 1995-97.
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Vital Statistics.
27
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Figure 15.21
Infant Mortality for Selected Regions (Average 1990-1996)
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Vital Statistics
A number of factors, some of them unknown, contribute to infant death, so it is difficult to assign
causes for the difference between the three southern-most regions.
Crime
Otago, along with most other South Island regions, has less crime per head of population than the
national average. There were 126.9 reported offences per 1,000 people for the year ended June
1997, compared with 145.5 for New Zealand.14 When crime statistics rates are analysed, Otago
again appears distinct from neighbouring Canterbury. There were a higher proportion of drugsrelated and anti-social offences than the national average, and a considerably higher proportion of
these offences than in Canterbury. This could possibly be related to the age structure of the
population, especially the high proportion of people in the 15 to 24-year age group and the influence
of Queenstown, which has a largely transient population and a very large number of domestic and
overseas visitors. The area is also a trouble spot over New Year, which may account for a proportion
of the offences.
For the year ended June 1997, there were a total of 23,427 reported offences, and 4,644 convictions
in the Otago Region, 3,997 at the Dunedin court and the remaining 647 at Alexandra (Central
Otago District). For the three-year period ending June 1997, total crime in Otago fell, although
drugs and anti-social related offences, as well as property-abuse offences, rose slightly.
14
Source: New Zealand Police.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
28
Figure 15.22
Reported Offences for Years to 30 June 1995, 1996, and 1997
Source: New Zealand Police
There is some variability within the region because there was an extremely high rate of offences
(especially drug and anti-social offences) in the Queenstown-Lakes District.
Figure 15.23
Selected Offences per 1,000 People for Selected Areas, Year Ending June 1997
Offences per 1,000 people
Area
Central Otago District
Clutha District
Dunedin City
Queenstown-Lakes District
Waitaki District
Otago(1)
New Zealand
Violence
Sexual
8.1
10.7
10.3
8.7
9.3
10.0
12.8
0.7
1.2
1.2
2.0
1.0
1.2
1.2
Drugs and
Dishonesty
anti-social
22.7
25.3
18.0
31.4
23.3
20.9
17.4
50.4
44.2
68.4
100.9
70.2
68.0
90.8
Property
damage
14.0
13.5
12.5
15.8
20.3
14.0
12.2
Property
Total
Administrative
abuses
offences
12.0
10.2
8.6
10.9
17.3
10.3
8.0
3.5
1.6
1.5
4.1
3.4
2.1
3.0
111.5
106.5
120.5
173.8
144.9
126.6
145.5
(1) Includes figures for Waitaki District, part of which is also included in the Canterbury Region
Source: New Zealand Police
29
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
The economy
Business
Otago, the second-most populous province in the South Island, makes an important contribution to
the New Zealand economy. Ten businesses based in the region were listed among the top 200
businesses of 1997 (by annual turnover).15 These businesses showed considerable variety, from
those producing agricultural or mineral products to food manufacturing. The regional economy is
dominated by agriculture, and tourism is also extremely important in the region, especially in the
Queenstown-Lakes District.
At June 1997 there were 10,840 businesses in Otago, second only to Canterbury in the South Island
(with 28,860) and more than double that of the next largest region, Southland.16 The more rural
nature of the economy is revealed in the slightly higher than average percentage of businesses
engaged in agriculture, forestry or fishing (5.9 percent compared with the New Zealand average of
4.4 percent). The higher proportion of businesses engaged in health and community services
(5.1 percent compared with 4.3 percent nationally) reflects the importance of this industry in the
region. The proportion of businesses engaged in cultural and recreational services was the highest in
any region, and the proportion of businesses engaged in providing food and accommodation was
above the national average. These businesses are both related to the important tourism industry.
High technology industries are also developing in Dunedin, particularly in the information technology,
biotechnology and engineering fields. These areas are knowledge intensive, require less resources
and are not location dependant. This is a natural progression of the importance of education and
expertise in the region which is now offering commercial opportunities in the global economy.
Although post-gold rush Dunedin became the centre of manufacturing in New Zealand, today the
percentage of Otago business engaged in this industry is lower than the national average.
Minerals
In the 1860s gold fever led to the rapid expansion of Otago, opening up inland areas and bringing
substantial wealth to the province. Those heady days are now over, but the legacy of gold continues
in Otago, shaping the central Otago landscape with mineral deposits, stone buildings and rusting
machinery. The first gold exploited in Otago was alluvial, and miners were able to pan “colour” from
rivers, but the only alluvial gold left now tends to be deep and requires capital intensive extraction
methods. Environmental concerns make modern gold mining controversial but recently a large
open cast mine has been established at Round Hill in the small Otago settlement of Macraes Flat.
Production in 1998 is expected to be approximately 110,000 ounces, with an increase to 180,000
ounces per annum after the mine is expanded.17
Otago also has the potential for tungsten extraction from scheelite, but currently there is no scheelite
mining in the area. Other non-metallic minerals are exploited in the region, such as phosphate and
lump silica from South Otago, and limestone for concrete production in North Otago.
15
16
17
Source: “1997 Top 200 New Zealand Companies”, Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group, Management, December 1997, pp.68-91.
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Annual Business Frame Update.
Christchurch Press, 11 June 1998.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
30
Energy
The major energy generation in Otago comes from the Clutha River which has the largest volume of
water in New Zealand. There are two hydro electric generating plants on the river, Roxburgh Dam,
which was built in the 1940s, and the Clyde Dam, which was completed in 1989. Clyde is the thirdlargest station in New Zealand and has a generating capacity of 432 megawatts, while Roxburgh has a
capacity of 320 megawatts. There are other minor electricity generating plants in Otago, including
Waipori Falls, which was established by the Dunedin City Council for municipal supply in the 1920s.
The other significant source of energy in Otago is coal. Otago has huge coal reserves, the secondlargest in the South Island. It has been calculated that there is a total of 1,154.24 million tonnes of
coal in the region, of which 331.75 million tonnes has been measured. There are seven coal fields,
the largest of which is at Kaitangata in the Clutha District. In 1994 Otago coalfields produced
51,402 tonnes of coal, all of the lowest grade, known as lignite.
Agriculture
Like Canterbury, Otago is a traditional pastoral area, where large sheep runs were established in the
nineteenth century. This historical legacy in reflected in current land use. The average farm size in
Otago is the largest in New Zealand, 656 hectares compared with the national average of 251
hectares (1996 figures).18 In part this large farm size reflects difficult terrain. Otago is a hilly and
rugged area compared with the Canterbury Plains, and the semi-arid climate of Central Otago
means that only larger farm units of stock are viable. Pastoral farming predominates, with over 92
percent of land in Otago described as grazing, arable or fodder land.
Figure 15.24
Land Use by Territorial Authority, Year Ended 30 June 1996
Area
Waitaki
Central Otago
Queenstown-Lakes
Dunedin
Clutha
Otago(1)
Number
of
farms
900
721
233
771
1,314
3,939
Percent
of
farms
22.8
18.3
5.9
19.6
33.4
100.0
Grazing,
arable, fodder
and fallow
land
(hectares)
Percent
in grazing,
Total
arable, fodder
land
and fallow
(hectares)
land
619,409
857,178
475,158
274,847
423,134
2,649,726
97.3
98.2
89.2
92.5
81.4
92.7
636,274
873,119
532,727
297,219
519,613
2,858,952
Percent
of total
land
22.3
30.5
18.6
10.4
18.2
100.0
(1) Includes figures for Waitaki District, part of which is also included in the Canterbury Region
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Agriculture Production Survey for the year ended 30 June 1996
Otago contains almost a third of the sheep in the South Island and over a fifth of the island’s beef
cattle. More than half the farms in Otago (2,695) run sheep, and there are 7,317,039 sheep in the
region. Goat and deer farming are other significant industries.
18
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Agriculture Statistics.
31
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
Horticulture
Although there are extensive market gardens around the town of Oamaru in North Otago, only
1,059 square kilometres in total in Otago is dedicated to growing vegetables. Fruit growing is a more
significant industry with 2,113 square kilometres devoted to fruit production. The relatively small
proportions of land in such intensive farming types contributes to the larger average farm size in the
region although this may change with more intensive horticulture and alternative land uses being
developed as returns from traditional farming decline. Otago is an important fruit growing area,
with most fruit in the region grown in the Central Otago District. Central Otago is a major producer
of summerfruit, in particular apricots, nectarines and cherries.
Central Otago is also a small but renowned centre for wine growing. In 1997, 14 vineyards in Otago
were members of the New Zealand Wine Institute, with 151 hectares planted in grapes, a significant
increase from the seven hectares planted in 1989. Although small, the vineyards have produced
some excellent wine, gaining particular success with the Pinot Noir grape. The wine institute
estimates that the amount of wine produced in Otago will increase by approximately 70 percent by
the year 2000, with the main grape varieties being Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.19
Forestry
Forestry is an important and rapidly expanding industry in Otago. The Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry estimates that in the Otago/Southland wood processing region the current harvest of
timber will double to over two million cubic metres by 2002. Otago has a higher proportion of
planted forest than Southland (almost a third more land is planted in forest). The greatest
proportion of forests are planted in coastal hilly areas and the wood produced is generally of high
quality. Most forestry production is from exotic plantings but there is a small quantity of native
beech forest set aside for sustainable logging. Due to increasing government restrictions on the
harvesting of native timber, the production of native forest in the region (mainly silver beech) has
declined from 26,000 cubic metres of roundwood in 1986 to approximately 20,000 cubic metres in
1996.20
Figure 15.25
Area Planted in Production Forestry in Otago, 1997
District
Area
(hectares)
Waitaki District
Queenstown Lakes District
Central Otago District
Dunedin City
Clutha District
Otago(1)
9,295
636
4,134
16,993
65,281
96,339
Standing
volume (000m3)
1,265
127
784
2,349
12,032
16,557
(1) Includes figures for Waitaki District, part of which is also included in the
Canterbury Region
Source: National Exotic Forest Description, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 1997
19
20
Source: New Zealand Vineyard Survey conducted for Winegrowers of New Zealand by HortResearch.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
32
Most exotic production in the region (over 80 percent) is radiata pine but in the Queenstown-Lakes
District, douglas fir predominates, while the Central Otago District contains a significant proportion
of other softwoods. The latter types of tree are more suited to the harsher inland climate of these
regions.
Forestry products from Otago are largely exported through the port of Dunedin, which has recently
been expanded to accommodate the large volume of logs and wood chips that pass through the port
annually. Between 1993 and 1997, log export volumes in Otago remained fairly constant but
forestry production (and consequently log exports) is projected to increase further by the year 2002.
During this period exports have varied between a high point of 314,000 cubic metres in the year to
December 1994, and a low point of 272,000 cubic metres in the year to December 1997. Overall,
volumes have decreased by 9.3 percent in this five-year period. The value of log exports has
declined by $18,255,000 between the December 1993 year and the December 1997 year. During
this five-year period the average yearly value of log exports was $32,952,000.
Buildings
House sales and building consents have declined in the region. The number of new and altered
building consents in Otago peaked during 1995 and 1996 as economic growth nationally increased,
but while there has been a slow but steady national rise in building consents, Otago has since
experienced a decline.21 Building consents in March 1998 were at a seven-year low, with 558
building consents (both new and altered) issued exactly the same number for the March quarter
during the 1991-1992 recession.
Figure 15.26
Number of New Building Consents (New and Altered), 1990-1997
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Building Consents
21
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Building Consents.
33
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
The difference in wealth in the region is also reflected in house prices. The Queenstown-Lakes
District has the most expensive housing, outside of main urban areas, in New Zealand. The average
house price in the district, at $203,299 (six months ended June 1997), was the highest in the South
Island, and among the highest in the country. In contrast, the Clutha District had the lowest
average house prices in New Zealand, with an average price of $63,366 for the six months to June
1997.22
Retail trade
Economic indicators reveal a relative stagnation in Otago’s economy. Retail trade is an important
economic indicator, and retail trade in the region fell by 2.3 percent between March 1996 and
March 1998, the third-greatest decline of any region. In comparison, retail trade nationally
remained fairly stable.
Tourism
Between September 1996 and June 1998, Otago averaged 12.0 percent of the total guest nights in
New Zealand.23 Occupancy rates are generally lower than the national average and the region is
affected by seasonality, increasing by 23.1 percent between December 1997 and March 1998
compared with the national average of 24.1 percent. In common with the rest of the country,
occupancy rates are highest during the holiday season (March quarter).
Figure 15.27
Guest Nights in Dunedin City and Queenstown-Lakes District,
September 1996 - June 1998
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Accommodation Survey
22
23
Source: Quotable Value New Zealand.
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Accommodation Survey.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
34
Over the December 1996 to December 1997 period, the number of guest nights in the region fell by
2.3 percent, compared with an average increase for New Zealand of 1.5 percent. It is possible that
the decline in Asian tourist numbers has had a more adverse effect on the Otago Region, because
the Queenstown-Lakes District was a major point on many tour itineraries. Dunedin City has, in
contrast, experienced a growth in guest nights as it relies more on independent travellers and the
traditional markets of Europe and the United States.
Transport
Otago has a comprehensive road network, a major railway line linking the region with Southland
and Canterbury, as well as a major port, situated in Dunedin. There is also a small historic railway
line to Middlemarch (Central Otago) which runs through the scenic Taieri Gorge. This has recently
become a regular tourist excursion. Dunedin airport is also an international airport, and although
international flights are not frequent, they are becoming more common.
There is a total road length in Otago of 10,451 kilometres, which is second only to Canterbury (with
15,397 kilometres of road). Otago has one of the lowest proportions of sealed roads nationally
(second only to Northland) with less than half of the region’s roads being sealed. This reflects the
rugged nature of much of inland Otago as well as the large areas of rural land in areas such as the
Catlins.24 Over 76 percent of roads in Otago are defined as country roads and 18 percent of roads
are located in Dunedin City. Traffic volume is, however, only the seventh-highest in the country,
resulting in Otago’s roads being less busy than in many other parts of the country, especially
neighbouring Canterbury.25
There were a total of 5,116 new and ex-overseas vehicles registered in Otago in 1997, just 1.9
percent of the national total.26 This represents 27.6 new or ex-overseas vehicles registered per 1,000
people, which was one of the lowest rates in the country.
Figure 15.28
Injury and Fatal Casualties in Otago, 1980-r1996
Source: Land Transport Safety Authority
24
25
26
Source: Roading Statistics, Transfund New Zealand, 30 June 1997.
Source: Road Safety Atlas, Land Transport Safety Authority, Wellington, 1996.
Source: New Zealand Post.
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New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
In common with other parts of the country, injury casualties as a result of road accidents have
declined in Otago after reaching a peak in the mid-1980s. In 1996 there were 736 injuries in Otago
and 34 deaths compared with 914 injuries and 39 deaths in 1980, considerably less than the peak
period in 1985 when 1,072 people were injured on Otago roads. In 1996 Otago had a slightly lower
rate of combined casualties than the national average (4.0 injuries per 1,000 population compared
with New Zealand’s rate of 4.1 injuries per 1,000 people). This is lower than in the neighbouring
regions of the West Coast and Canterbury (5.8 and 4.6 respectively).
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Otago
36
Definitions
Adult
Person aged 15 years and over.
Birth (fertility) rate
A measure expressing the number of births in relation to the size of the population from which these
births arose.
Census
A type of survey in which all members of a given population provide information at a given time.
These units may be people, companies, buildings, local authorities, etc. Statistics New Zealand
carries out a range of censuses at regular intervals, such as the Census of Population and Dwellings,
(at five-yearly intervals).
Child
Person under 15 years of age.
Country road
Defined by the Land Transport Safety Authority as a road with a posted speed limit of 70 km/h or
more.
Couple
Two persons who usually reside together, and are married or living in a consensual union.
Death (mortality) rate
A measure expressing the number of deaths in relation to the size of the population in which
these deaths occurred.
De facto population
The population enumerated in terms of its actual place of residence at a given time. Visitors from
overseas, who are in New Zealand on census night, are included in the de facto population. Thus
the de facto population is different from the usually resident population, which refers to people
who usually live in New Zealand.
Density (of population)
Average number of persons per square kilometre in a particular locality.
Dependency ratio
An indication of the burden of non-workers on workers. The conventional measure of dependency
is the sum of people aged 0-14 years and 65 years or more as a ratio of the number of people aged 1564 years. The child dependency ratio is the number of people aged 0-14 years as a ratio of the
number of people aged 15-64 years. The elderly dependency ratio is the number of people aged 65
years or over as a ratio of the number of people aged 15-64 years. The labour force dependency
37
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Definitions
ratio is the sum of people aged 0-14 years and the number of people not in the labour force as a ratio
of the number of people in the labour force. The advantage of the latter is that it takes into account
variations in the labour force participation of women, and changes in the age at entry and age at
retirement from the labour force. The employment dependency ratio is the sum of people aged 014 years and people who are not employed (including those not in the labour force and those who
are unemployed) as a ratio of the number of people who are employed. This has the additional
advantage of taking into account changing levels of unemployment.
Dependent child
Person aged under 18 years who is not employed full-time.
Elderly
Person aged 65 years and over.
Employment status
A person’s status within the labour force. Including those in full- and part-time employment: paid
employee; self-employed and without employees; employer; and unpaid family worker.
Ethnicity / ethnic responses
The ethnic group or groups that people identify with or feel they belong to. Thus, ethnicity is selfperceived and people can belong to more than one ethnic group meaning that the total number of
ethnic responses for the target population will often exceed the actual number of people. Furthermore,
this affects percentages, in that they will often sum to more than 100 percent. An ethnic group is
defined as a social group whose members have the following characteristics:
share a sense of common origins
·
·
·
·
claim a common and distinctive history and destiny
possess one or more dimensions of collective cultural individuality
feel a sense of unique collective solidarity.
Life expectancy
The average number of years that a person could expect to live from a given age if a given set of agespecific mortality rates are applied without change for each successive year. Conceptually, it equals
the number of years of life remaining to all persons reaching a specified age in a life table, divided by
the number of persons reaching that age. The expectation of life is derived from a life table.
Family
A family consists of two or more people, who are members of the same household, and who comprise
either a couple, or at least one parent role/child relationship, or both.
Full-time
Persons working 30 hours or more a week.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Definitions
38
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalents are all full-time employees plus one-half of all part-time employees.
Guest nights
A guest night is equivalent to one guest spending one night at an establishment. For example, a
motel with 15 guests spending two nights each would report provision of 30 guest nights of
accommodation.
Household
One person who usually resides alone, or two or more people who usually reside together and share
facilities (such as eating facilities, cooking facilities, bathroom and toilet facilities, a living area).
Household operation
The household operation category (for household expenditure) covers the cost of running a
household, and includes items such as heating, the purchase of household items (eg furniture) and
any non-food household services.
Infant mortality rate
The number of deaths of infants under 1 year of age registered during a year per 1000 live births
during the same year. It should be noted that some of the infant deaths in the numerator of the
infant mortality rate occur to infants born in the year prior to that for which the infant death rate is
computed. Hence, the measure is only an approximation of the true risk of mortality during the year
of birth.
Labour force
Persons aged 15 years and over who:
regularly work for one or more hours a week for financial gain
·
·
·
are unpaid working in a family business
are unemployed and actively seeking either part-time or full-time work.
Labour force participation rate
The percentage of the total population aged 15 years or over who are in the labour force.
Institutionalised people and those in the armed forces are sometimes excluded.
Median
The value which divides a distribution or array so that an equal number of items is on either side of
it. For example, the median age is the specified age where one half of the population is older and one
half is younger.
Migrant
A person moving from one place to another. A return migrant is a person who moves back to their
place of origin.
39
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Definitions
Migration
Net overseas migration
The number of overseas arrivals into a country, less the number of overseas departures from a
country. When there are more arrivals than departures it is known as net immigration, and when
there are more departures than arrivals it is net emigration.
Net internal migration
Internal migration is determined by matching details supplied in the “usual address five years ago”
question on the census form against the current usual address. If the two are the same, then the
person is classified as a non-mover. If there are differences, then it is assumed that the person has
changed where they usually live. Internal migration recorded in this way tends to under-estimate
the true magnitude of movements that have taken place. This is because the census only looks at
two points in time, and there is no record of any other movements which may have occurred in
between. For example, multiple moves by a single person will be missed, as will return migration,
moves by people who have subsequently died, been born, or moved overseas since the 1991 Census.
A number of groups within the population are excluded from census-based internal migration analysis
because they have no previous address available. This could be due to a variety of reasons, including
being overseas at the time, being born after the 1991 Census, or providing a previous address which
could not be coded to an area. Overall, around 4 in every 5 New Zealanders were able to be included
in an analysis of internal migration flows between 1991 and 1996.
Natural increase
The excess of births over deaths. When deaths exceed births, there is what may be called a negative
natural increase or natural decrease.
New Zealand
Geographic New Zealand, that is, the North Island, South Island, and adjacent islands. Persons on
board ship in New Zealand ports or territorial waters are included in regional council area, North
and South Island, and New Zealand populations, but not in those of smaller administrative or
statistical units.
Non-private dwelling
A building or structure in which a number of generally unrelated people (either individuals or
families) live. Includes institutions and group-living quarters: hotels, motels, hospitals, prisons, hostels,
motor camps, boarding houses, ships and trains. They usually have common cooking and dining
facilities. Lounge rooms and dormitories can also be shared by the occupants.
Occupancy rate (for accommodation providers)
These are calculated by dividing stay unit nights occupied by stay unit nights available (a stay unit
is the unit of accommodation charged out to guests). If a motel had six of its ten units occupied
every night in July, it had 6 x 31 = 186 stay unit nights occupied. Its stay unit nights available
(capacity) would have been 10 x 31 = 310. So its occupancy rate would be 60 percent (186 / 310
x 100).
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Definitions
40
Occupation
A set of jobs which involve the performance of a common set of tasks. It refers to the job, trade,
profession or type of work in which a person is employed for financial reward or as an unpaid worker
in a family business.
Part-time
Persons working less than 30 hours a week.
People not in the labour force
People who were not in the categories employed or unemployed. This category includes people who
were solely engaged in home duties, retired people, pensioners, people in institutions (hospitals,
gaols, sanatoriums, etc), trainee teachers, students and children under 15 years.
Permanent dwelling
A building or structure that is both fixed in location and of durable construction. This includes
houses, flats, baches, hotels and hospitals, but excludes tents, houseboats and caravans.
Population projections
Estimates of the future size and other demographic characteristics of a population, based on an
assessment of past trends and assumptions about the future course of demographic behaviour (fertility,
mortality and net migration).
Private dwelling
A building or structure in which one person usually resides alone, or two or more people usually
reside together and share facilities (such as eating facilities, cooking facilities, bathroom and toilet
facilities, a living area).
Ratio
A quotient which indicates the relative size of one number to another.
Regional council area (region)
The Local Government Amendment Act (No 3) 1988 provides for the constitution of these regions.
The geographical boundaries conform as far as practical to the boundaries of one or more water
catchments. Consideration was also given to regional communities of interest, civil defence, natural
resource management, land use planning, port facilities and environmental matters. At 31 March
1992, there were fourteen regions covering every territorial authority area in New Zealand except
for Chatham Islands District.
At 1 July 1992, the number of regions increased to sixteen following boundary reorganisation in the
northern South Island. Twelve of these regions are administered by regional councils while the
Gisborne, Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough Regions are administered by their respective district/
city councils. The boundaries of territorial authority areas are generally the same as regional council
area boundaries, although there are eight instances where territorial boundaries straddle regional
boundaries.
41
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Definitions
Regional council boundaries extend out to the Coastal Marine Area which is the seabed from the
line of mean high water spring tides extending to the territorial (12 mile) limit.
Rural area
An area not specifically designated as “urban”. This includes towns of fewer than 1,000 population
plus district territory where this is not included in an urban area. Rural areas also include offshore
islands.
Territorial authority areas
The smallest local government entities, created by the local government reorganisation that took
effect on 1 November 1989. There is a total of 74 territorial authority areas, comprising 15 cities and
59 districts.
A city must have a minimum population of 50,000 persons and be predominantly urban in character,
while a district serves a combination of rural and urban communities. The boundaries of territorial
authority areas are defined according to “community of interest” considerations to each other and
the ability of the unit to efficiently service its community.
Unemployment rate
For any group, the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force (employed
plus unemployed) in the same group.
Unpaid work. Hours of unpaid work performed outside the household in the 4 weeks prior to the
1996 Census.
Urban area
A non-administrative area with urban characteristics and high to moderate concentration of
population. The classification of urban areas was revised for the 1991 Census of Population and
Dwellings, and comprises a three-part classification consisting of main, secondary and minor urban
areas, differentiated by population size:
(i)
Main urban areas - centres with populations of 30,000 or more. There are currently fifteen
main urban areas, eleven in the North Island and four in the South. Auckland, Wellington,
Hamilton and Napier-Hastings are further subdivided into zones.
(ii)
Secondary urban areas - centres with populations between 10,000 and 29,999. There are
currently fifteen secondary urban areas including Timaru, formerly a main urban area.
(iii)
Minor urban areas - centres with populations of 1,000 or more not already classified as
urban (ie not falling within a main or secondary urban area). There are currently ninetynine
minor urban areas and together with the above two categories they constitute the urban
population of New Zealand.
New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Definitions
42
Usually resident (de jure) population
The legal population of a locality. The de jure population at census is obtained by assigning all
persons to their usual place of residence. Overseas residents who are temporarily in New Zealand on
census night are excluded from the population, while those persons normally resident in an area in
New Zealand but who were enumerated elsewhere in New Zealand on census night are relocated to
their usual address.
Vehicle-kilometre
A vehicle-kilometre occurs when one vehicle travels a distance of one kilometre.
Vitals
Events such as births, deaths and marriages which influence the numbers of a population.
Working-age population. People aged 15-64 years.
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New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Definitions
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New Zealand - A Regional Profile
Bibliography
44
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publication, Date of publication
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McLauchlan, Gordon (ed.), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of New Zealand, David Bateman Ltd,
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