But it will then start to drop. The projected decline is being attributed to the narrowing gap between births and deaths, with fewer babies being born and people living longer. More New Zealanders die while working on a farm than in any other industry. The Occupation Safety and Health Service investigated 14 deaths on the country's farms in the 12 months to July. And there have been another two deaths since then.
Workplace accidents kill farm workers at seven and a half times the national average.
OSH says the biggest rural killers are farm vehicles rolling over. New Zealand on Air is seeking a rise of around 25 dollars. It says insufficient funding has stagnated local content, resulting in 20 per cent of Kiwi-made shows last year being repeats. Labour's Marion Hobbs believes extra funding for New Zealand on Air should come from general taxation, and not the licence fee. Desmond James Scott was the youngest to ever attain the rank of Group Captain in the British Royal Air Force and the only New Zealander to command an RAF mobile wing.