New Zealand dream
[10] Apartment households have much lower incomes than those living in family houses and are more likely to suffer from poverty related problems such as overcrowding.
[11] Studies have shown that fertility is highest among couples living in single-family houses and lowest among those residing in apartments.
New Zealand and the United States produce a slight surplus of children, while Ireland, Australia and the UK have modest deficits.
British people are also very fond of spending time in the garden, with more than 70% claiming that it improves their quality of life, and half (48%) of whom felt it was the most enjoyable activity above watching TV (33%) and shopping (14%).
“Creating more efficient houses is a triple win for New Zealanders’, our health, our environment and our power bills” (Helen Clark Prime Minister 1999–2008).
[28] The floor area of new dwellings built in New Zealand is extremely variable ranging from as little as 30 m2 for a small apartment to more than 500 m2 for a large house.
[31] The housing indicator value of new homes (=150) is higher than for the existing stock (see Figure 2 above), which may cause fertility rates to gradually rise over the coming decades.
The production of affordable motor vehicles has enabled the development of a suburban lifestyle culture, which combines the advantages of city life, with the luxury of ample living space.
In New Zealand ownership of a motor vehicle is regarded by many as a rite of passage, representing the important transition from adolescence to being an independent adult.
International statistics show that New Zealanders have one of the highest rates of motor vehicle ownership in the world (Figure 5).
