A report on the performance of contracted health services released to the Ministry of Health's website said 46% of calls to life-threatening incidents were answered within eight minutes in 2010-11. The target was 50%.
A target of 95% of jobs reached within 20 minutes also fell just short, with 93% achieved.
In rural areas, ambulances beat the 50% target, with 52% of calls reached in eight minutes. The secondary target for rural areas fell short, with 92% reached in 20 minutes (target of 95%).
For remote areas, ambulances met or exceeded targets, with 60% reached in 25 minutes (target of 50%), and 95% within an hour (target of 95%).
Increased staffing in rural areas - 100 extra ambulance officers - allocated in 2009-10 had improved response times.
Urban area target times had not been met since 2007. This was because of demand rising faster than capacity, increased road congestion, and new housing developments expanding coverage areas.
The Christchurch earthquakes contributed to slower response times, both in Christchurch and in centres that sent ambulance resources to the quake-affected city.
An extra $1 million was allocated to baseline funding for urban services in 2010-11. In the 2010-11 year ambulance services received nearly $85.2 million.
Wairarapa District Health Board was the only district health board still providing ambulance services, for which St John was the main provider.
Health Minister Tony Ryall, through a spokesman, said 2010-11 was the first year time target achievements were formally reported to the Government. He said he was satisfied with the service.
"Overall, services are doing well achieving their response times while demands are increasing," he said.
"Bearing in mind there has been significant impact for ambulances in Christchurch in the past year, and ambulances from around the country were sent to help out there."
The Otago Daily Times recently reported St John last year answered 59% of the 5454 top-priority calls in Dunedin within eight minutes, and 95% within 20 minutes.
St John South Island regional operations manager Chris Haines said rural response times were available, but would take staff time to compile.
