The cynic in me says it's because these apartments aren't being designed for Traditional Western needs, They're aimed for the most common "New" New Zealander who is from East Asia- Just set up your Gas cooker and you'll be right. Do your dishes and bathing out of a Plastic bowl.
Don't complain, Kiwis have it so good remember, We have toilets and water we can ~~mostly ~~drink straight from the tap.
The area i'm in is now a "Transitional Housing Zone" and the old 1/4 Acre blocks are being brought up by developers and having the Single Family Home demolished and they're whacking up 12 hideous shoebox style Apartments.