New Zealand households spent a total of $2.84 billion on cultural goods and services, an average of $34.70 a week per household in the year ended June 2007.
Spending on cultural goods and services accounted for 3.6 percent of all household expenditure in 2006/07. That amounted to more than was spent by New Zealand households on goods such as clothing and footwear, health, and passenger transport, although less than household energy rent, vehicle expenses, mortgage payments and food.
The two biggest areas of cultural spending were on broadcasting, including on paid for tv services and audio and visual appliances, and literature, including books, magazines and newspapers.
The Household Spending on Culture 2010 report is part of the Cultural Statistics Programme operated by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. It is based on the Household Economic Survey undertaken on a three-yearly basis by Statistics New Zealand, and follows similar reports published by the Ministry in 1996, 2003 and 2006.
A summary of highlights from the report can be found on page 4 of the report.
