Why did you make this tool?
2016 is Labour’s Centenary year, so we’re celebrating some of the ways Labour has shaped New Zealand for the better.
In 1938 the First Labour Government introduced the Social Security Act. A part of this made healthcare accessible to all New Zealanders – this fun app aims to celebrate that milestone and help share the story of how much our healthcare system does to help New Zealanders today.
How did you calculate my baby number?
It is impossible to calculate your exact baby number using publicly available information. Therefore, your baby number is only an estimate – you can see how we worked out the number below – but it should provide a good guess of what your exact baby number could be!
We calculate baby numbers using data provided by Statistics New Zealand. The figures are based on the date of registration of births across New Zealand.
We have taken the annual number of births and averaged it across 365.25 days. Each day has one baby number for everyone born on that day, to give users a consistent experience (this is why you would have the same number as someone who is born on the same day as you).
As the dataset only includes up to the end of 2015, we have averaged the last three years (2013-15) to produce an estimate of the number of babies born in 2016 so far.
I'm expecting a baby – can I find out what their baby number is likely to be?
You can! If your baby is due before the end of 2016, just input your due date into the tool, and we'll give you a best guess of your baby's likely baby number, based on the average birth rate over the last three years.
Has this tool been done before?
Yes – we were inspired by similar baby number tools created by the UK Labour Party and the Australian Labor Party. You can read some of the press coverage of those apps here:
Metro.co.uk
Independent.co.uk
Buzzfeed
Where do the other stats mentioned come from?
We’ve used a range of publicly available data to provide the information given within the app. This includes:
Prescriptions: Pharmac
Plunket babies: Plunket
GP visits: Health Estimates questions from 2014
Babies born: Statistics NZ
The personal stories and photos featured were provided by New Zealanders in an online health survey we carried out in August.
How did you get the daily health system usage figures?
We’ve averaged out annual data so that you can see how many people our health system helps in real time. Because that data is averaged out over 24 hours, if you’re using the tool outside of regular work hours (for example, at 3 am in the morning) it may not reflect what is actually happening at the time you are online.
What happens when I share my baby number?
Depending on your sharing settings, your friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter will be able to see your baby number and click through from your post to find out their own. They won’t see any of the other information you have given us.
Why do you require an email address to use the tool?
Our health system is under threat from government cuts and over the next year we want to communicate with New Zealanders about Labour’s campaigns, policies and why we need to change the government.
In exchange for using our free, fun tool, we ask for your email address so we can communicate with you about this and other issues we think you may be interested in. But of course, you can unsubscribe from our updates at any time.
And what happens with the data I give you?
We use your data to customise your online experience with us and to communicate with you. We take your privacy extremely seriously and the information you provide us with will not be passed on to third parties unless required by law, or as specified in our privacy policy.
How can I learn more about the Labour Party?
Labour has backed Kiwis for 100 years. We have a history to be proud of, and a positive vision for the future. If you’re keen to get involved in our campaigns, click here to take action. If you’d like to get to know our people, please click here.
I love this! I’m a geek and would like to help you build more cool things. How do I get involved?
We’d love to have you on board. Drop us a line at [email protected] and let us know a little bit about yourself, and how you’d like to help out. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Where did you get the images from?
The photos used in this tool are either owned by us, or we’ve been given permission to use them.
Here are the photo credits for images sourced from the Alexander Turnbull Library:
Baby number result page: The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, Karitane Home, probably mother and baby, [Island Bay, Wellington?]. Evening Post (Newspaper. 1865-2002). Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1957/2161-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22541204
Prescription page: Dormer-Beck Advertising Ltd. Dormer Beck chemist in pharmacy. K E Niven and Co. Commercial negatives. Ref: 1/2-224515-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23026108
Plunket page: The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, Karitane Home, baby, [Island Bay, Wellington?]. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002). Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1957/2142-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22782741