New Zealand's population grew at its fastest-ever rate in the year to June, just-released figures show. There are now 4.69 million people here, up 97,300 in a year - 2.1 percent.
"Annual population growth over 2 percent is high by New Zealand standards," says population statistics senior manager Jo-Anne Skinner.
"The last time we experienced population growth over 2 percent was in 1974. And before that, at the peak of the baby boom in the 1950s and early 1960s."
Immigration is behind it. Net migration in the year to June was 69,100, with 125,600 new arrivals and 56,000 departures.
Natural increase - births minus deaths - added another 28,200, well above the 10-year average of 21,800.
The Government denies it's letting in unprecedented numbers of migrants.
"I don't think we do have record numbers arriving in the country," MP Paula Bennett told Paul Henry on Friday morning.
Statistics NZ figures show she's wrong. It's up 25 percent since 2014, the first time permanent long-term arrivals surpassed 100,000 in a year.
Labour Party deputy leader Annette King says the strong migration figures are putting pressure on jobs and housing.
"They are not all New Zealanders returning home - the majority are not. They are people coming in on work permits - we find out we've got thousands of people coming to be clerks and cafe managers."
Ms Bennett says the Government is continually monitoring the situation, but won't be cutting migration just to please the critics.
"We're not going to go out there and do an alarmist, populist policy just so you all feel a bit better."
New Zealand now has 2.31 million men and 2.38 million women. The biggest growth in the year to June came in the over-65s, thanks to the aging population, and the 15-39 age group, due to immigration.
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