Report: Age-proofing Aotearoa

Rethinking our infrastructure for an ageing population

New Zealand is experiencing a profound demographic shift, with one in three New Zealanders projected to be over 65 by 2078. The new report Age-Proofing Aotearoa: Rethinking our infrastructure for an ageing population, by The Helen Clark Foundation and WSP New Zealand, explores how this transformation will shape our housing, health, transport, and urban systems. It argues that much of our existing infrastructure is not designed for the needs of an older population and warns that without proactive reform, inequalities, particularly for women, Māori, and Pasifika, will deepen.

The report offers practical recommendations for more accessible housing, inclusive transport, and stronger community-based health care.