Media statement
For immediate release
Monday, 15 March 2004

United Future ‘On The Right Family Track’

United Future leader, Peter Dunne, today re-emphasized that United Future is on the same wavelength as the majority of New Zealanders, as demonstrated by the latest Tower/TNS survey on “What Worries New Zealanders.”

Mr Dunne said “The results indicate that changing roles and responsibilities at home and at work are shifting the focus of our worries away from money, towards the family.”

One year on from the first 'What Worries New Zealanders' survey, Tower has re-visited the six main subjects of family, money, health, work, time and society to see how as a nation our worries are changing.

There has been an 11.5% increase overall in family worries, driven by a 16% increase to 44% of females worrying more frequently in the latest survey.

Tower New Zealand's head of marketing, Paul Head, is reported as saying "There has been a fundamental shift in what we worry about most in the last twelve months. Family matters have become the focus, taking over from money and society, however these still remain significant worries."

Statistics from the latest TOWER/TNS 'What Worries New Zealanders' survey highlight 39% of working mums are definitely worried about the 'stay at home mum' being a thing of the past, even if not practical for some, compared with 19% of dads.

Other statistics on the subject of gender showed:

* One in five New Zealand men and women frequently worry about spending enough time with their kids

* An equal number frequently worry about being a good role model for their child, this was more prevalent amongst lower income families

* One in four women frequently worry about the sacrifices they have to make to have a family today, compared with one in five men.

Mr Dunne commented “This reaffirms United Future’s commitment to the family as the cornerstone of New Zealand society. It illustrates what we have felt all along that the New Zealand family needs all the support it can get and that will include the invaluable research work to be carried out by the Families Commission when it is established and working later this year.”

Ends

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