Less sex please, we're Kiwi

By JOSIE CLARKE social issues reporter

They own a $169,000 house, drive an 11-year-old Toyota Corolla and holiday in Australia.

He is 176.4cm and weighs 81.5kg. In a normal week, he'll drink a little more than nine cans of beer.

She is 163.6cm and weighs 68.6kg. She will spend 5.5 hours a week on personal hygiene and grooming and 3.5 hours thinking, resting and planning.

Meet Mr and Mrs Average, proud parents of 2.01 children and residents of Palmerston North.

The Weekend Herald has combed the statistics on New Zealanders to provide a glimpse into the lifestyle of the typical New Zealand couple.

The picture of the couple is compiled from data held by Statistics New Zealand, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Policy, Quotable Value and various research polls done by independent agencies.

It appears the Averages have each had nine sexual partners, more than the global average of 8.2, and make love 86 times a year, less than the global average of 96 times a year.

They face a 50 per cent chance of getting divorced.

However, the long-presumed idea that the Averages have 2.4 children is dismissed - in fact, they have 2.01.

They live in Palmerston North, the city whose population corresponds most closely to the New Zealand average.

Both work, making about $900 a week between them. He earns $559 a week, she earns $340 a week.

The Averages each spend between 70 and 90 minutes a week exercising.

But they much prefer to watch television and videos. The Averages spend 1.5 hours a day in front of the box and another 45 minutes a day keeping one eye on it while doing something else.

But evenings can turn into a battle for the remote control. He likes Stargate while she won't miss ER or Friends.

Both like Pioneer House.

As parents, they claim to spend more time talking one-on-one with their children than watching television.

The Averages spend 33 hours a week with their offspring - which works out to 4.75 hours a day.

Mrs Average drinks less than three glasses of wine a week, while her husband drinks about nine cans of beer.

Mr Average will die at 74 - his wife will outlive him by six years.