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Net debt measures compared: NZ data and downloads

Former net government debt (indicator used before 2009) was $102,770 million in 2021/22, up $19,418 million on a year earlier.

Updated

Source: The Treasury (New Zealand). Last retrieved 10 October 2026.

Net debt measures compared, $m, Year to Mar 1972 to 2021/22

Former net core Crown debt (indicator used before 2009)Net core Crown debt (excl. NZS Fund and advances)Net debt (incl. NZS Fund)
Net debt measures compared. Former net core Crown debt (indicator used before 2009), Year to Mar 1972 to 2021/22, latest $102,770 million. Net core Crown debt (excl. NZS Fund and advances), 1991/92 to 2024/25, latest $182,171 million. Net debt (incl. NZS Fund), 2007/08 to 2024/25, latest $88,719 million.-50,000050,000100,000150,000200,000New accounting basis, 1993/94New accounting basis, 2004/05Year to Mar 1972Year to Mar 19811989/901998/992007/082016/172025
Show the figures
PeriodFormer net core Crown debt (indicator used before 2009) ($m)Net core Crown debt (excl. NZS Fund and advances) ($m)Net debt (incl. NZS Fund) ($m)
2024/25No data$182,171 million$88,719 million
2023/24No data$175,464 million$82,197 million
2022/23No data$155,273 million$71,367 million
2021/22$102,770 million$128,873 million$61,850 million
2020/21$83,352 million$102,080 million$35,921 million
2019/20$68,819 million$83,375 million$35,710.5 million
2018/19$43,891 million$57,736 million$5,432.3 million
2017/18$45,246 million$57,495 million$11,218.8 million
2016/17$47,466 million$59,480 million$16,248.6 million
2015/16$47,268 million$61,880 million$23,192.8 million
2014/15$46,491 million$60,631 million$22,824.9 million
2013/14$46,178 million$59,931 million$25,207.9 million
2012/13$42,709 million$55,835 million$25,298.4 million
2011/12$37,347 million$50,671 million$23,893.4 million
2010/11$28,049 million$40,128 million$14,554.5 million
2009/10$15,871 million$26,738 million$5,124.9 million
2008/09$6,690 million$17,119 million$−1,711 million
2007/08$−19 million$10,258 million$−9,479.9 million
2006/07$4,109 million$13,380 millionNo data
2005/06$8,043.7 million$16,162.7 millionNo data
Full data: net debt measures comparedFull data: net core crown debt
Former net core Crown debt (indicator used before 2009): $102,770 million (2021/22)Net core Crown debt (excl. NZS Fund and advances): $182,171 million (2024/25)Net debt (incl. NZS Fund): $88,719 million (2024/25)
2025-06-30Former net core Crown debt (indicator used before 2009) Not availableNet core Crown debt (excl. NZS Fund and advances) $182,171 millionNet debt (incl. NZS Fund) $88,719 million
Net debt measures compared. Former net core Crown debt (indicator used before 2009): $102,770 million in 2021/22. Net core Crown debt (excl. NZS Fund and advances): $182,171 million in 2024/25. Net debt (incl. NZS Fund): $88,719 million in 2024/25.

Lines break at accounting-basis changes and missing periods. Source: The Treasury (New Zealand).

Net debt measures compared: NZ data and downloads: definitions

The three net debt measures Treasury has used over time, side by side and never spliced together. The former net government debt (used before 2009) includes advances; net government debt (2009–2021) excludes advances and NZ Super Fund assets (Treasury notes it was the headline indicator 2009–2021); net debt includes Crown entity borrowings and NZ Super Fund assets (series available from 2007/08).

Net debt measures compared: NZ data and downloads: comparison limits

These affect how the figures can be compared.

  • Different definitions give very different numbers (e.g. 2025, net core Crown debt about 42% of GDP, net debt about 20%). Always say which measure you mean.
  • Measures cover different year ranges; a measure appearing or ending is a definitional change, not a change in debt.
  • The former measure (2007/08) and net debt (2007/08–2008/09) were briefly negative, financial assets exceeded debt on those definitions.

Net debt measures compared: NZ data and downloads: data by period

The latest ten periods for up to the first six series. Downloads contain every published observation.

PeriodFormer net government debt (indicator used before 2009)Former net government debt (indicator used before 2009)net government debt (excl. NZS Fund and advances)net government debt (excl. NZS Fund and advances)Net debt (incl. NZS Fund)Net debt (incl. NZS Fund)
2024/25Not availableNot available$182,171 million41.8% of GDP$88,719 million20.3% of GDP
2023/24Not availableNot available$175,464 million41.8% of GDP$82,197 million19.6% of GDP
2022/23Not availableNot available$155,273 million38.7% of GDP$71,367 million17.8% of GDP
2021/22$102,770 million28.1% of GDP$128,873 million35.2% of GDP$61,850 million16.9% of GDP
2020/21$83,352 million24.3% of GDP$102,080 million29.7% of GDP$35,921 million10.5% of GDP
2019/20$68,819 million21.7% of GDP$83,375 million26.2% of GDP$35,710 million11.2% of GDP
2018/19$43,891 million14.1% of GDP$57,736 million18.6% of GDP$5,432 million1.8% of GDP
2017/18$45,246 million15.3% of GDP$57,495 million19.5% of GDP$11,219 million3.8% of GDP
2016/17$47,466 million17.2% of GDP$59,480 million21.6% of GDP$16,249 million5.9% of GDP
2015/16$47,268 million18.3% of GDP$61,880 million23.9% of GDP$23,193 million9.0% of GDP

Net debt measures compared: NZ data and downloads: questions for your AI

Download the file, attach it in the assistant you use, then paste the prompt. Whatever it tells you is its reading of the data, not ours.

  1. 1Download net-debt-measures-compared.csv
  2. 2Attach it in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or another assistant
  3. 3
    Paste this prompt

    The attached CSV is Net debt measures compared (net-debt-measures-compared), from The Treasury (New Zealand), Fiscal Time Series – Historical Fiscal Indicators. Describe how each measure has changed, naming its unit and period. Treat changes in basis and missing periods as breaks. Distinguish observation from explanation. Limitations: Different definitions give very different numbers (e.g. 2025, net core Crown debt about 42% of GDP, net debt about 20%). Always say which measure you mean. Measures cover different year ranges; a measure appearing or ending is a definitional change, not a change in debt. The former measure (2007/08) and net debt (2007/08–2008/09) were briefly negative, financial assets exceeded debt on those definitions.. Do not infer causation from changes during government terms.

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Net debt measures compared: NZ data and downloads: sources

The source publication, licence and snapshot used to build this page.

Organisation
The Treasury (New Zealand), Fiscal Time Series – Historical Fiscal Indicators
Licence
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: The Treasury, Fiscal Time Series – Historical Fiscal Indicators, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Figures transformed and calculated by NZ in Numbers.
Reuse limits
Treasury logos, emblems, trade marks and website design are not covered and must not be reused.
Snapshot
data/raw/treasury-hfi/2026-10-10_de59f9028a81.xlsx
SHA256
de59f9028a81a697ee66eea04861edfd8e2c3a7e472b3b8798d976951964f70f
Retrieved
10 October 2026