The number of people choosing a civil union over a traditional marriage has fallen sharply.
Department of Internal Affairs figures provided to TVNZ's Q+A reveal just 52 civil unions between both same and opposite-sex couples occurred last year.
It's a large drop from the 363 which took place in 2006.
This decline largely began in 2013 when same sex couples were able to marry following the passing of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill.
Civil unions began in 2005, with Parliament voting 65-55 for then-Associate Justice Minister David Benson-Pope's Bill in December 2004.
Since 2014, opposite-sex unions have outnumbered those taken by same-sex couples and their number continues to climb, 34 occurred in 2019, 35 in 2020 and 41 last year.
Less than five have been taken so far in 2022.
Despite the low total number of civil unions being carried out, Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti says there have been no discussions to amend the legislation.
"We like the fact that people have choice," she told Q+A.
"They can choose whether they want to recognise their relationship with a marriage or they can also have the same legal recognition through a civil union."
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