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Health, Food Prices And Affordable Housing Top Priorities For Kiwis
Kiwis are telling the government to focus most on improving health, rising food prices and affordable housing.
Horizon Research presented a list of 42 issues and asked adults nationwide which were the most important for the current government to take action on in 2024.
Each respondent selected on average 14 issues from the list. This is lower than the average of 20 issues selected in a similar July 2023 survey asking which issues were important in deciding their party vote in that year's general election.
The chart below shows the top 10 issues chosen. The top five issues were:
· Improve the health system - chosen by 66% - this is the equivalent of 2,667,000 adults,
· 63% rising food prices – 2,538,000 adults,
· Affordable housing 54% – 2,185,000 adults,
· Reduce crime 49% - 1,990,000 adults, and
· Youth crime and fuel prices each 47% - 1,913,000 adults.
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The issues to focus on are similar to vote-influencing ones asked in 2023, with the top 4 issues being the same. In July 2023, education was the 5th ranked issue people said would influence their vote. In February 2024, improving primary and secondary education ranks 12th.
Across age groups there are differences in which issues are important.
People under 35 years chose on average 12 issues. Rising food prices (62%), affordable housing (58%0 and fuel prices (51%) were the top three issues for this group.
People aged 35-54 years chose on average 13 issues. Rising food prices (69%), improve the health system (66%) and affordable housing (54%) were the top three issues for this group.
People aged 55+ years chose on average 15 issues. Improve the health system (82%), law and order (64%) reduce crime (64%) were the top three issues for this group.
Respondents were asked which political party they voted for in 2023. Across the main political party voters the top 10 issues are in the tables below.
On average people who voted for Te Pāti Māori chose the most issues (16 on average).
Below are rankings for all issues surveyed.
Some environmental issues rank in the top 20, including the quality of water in rivers, streams and lakes (10th), ocean fisheries (13th) and climate change (16th).
Ti Tiriti o Waitangi related issues are also a priority for large numbers of adults.
| Ranking | Which of the following do you think are the most important for the current government to take action on in 2024? | ALL | NZ Population aged 18+ |
| 1 | Improve the health system | 66% | 2,667,440 |
| 2 | Rising food prices | 63% | 2,537,716 |
| 3 | Affordable housing | 54% | 2,185,031 |
| 4 | Reduce crime | 49% | 1,990,445 |
| 5 | Youth crime | 47% | 1,913,422 |
| 6 | Fuel prices | 47% | 1,905,314 |
| 7 | Child poverty | 44% | 1,795,860 |
| 8 | Law and order | 43% | 1,747,214 |
| 9 | Quality of roads | 43% | 1,747,214 |
| 10 | Water quality in rivers, streams and lakes | 42% | 1,718,837 |
| 11 | Housing supply | 41% | 1,666,136 |
| 12 | Improve primary and secondary education | 40% | 1,605,329 |
| 13 | Ocean fisheries reform to build sustainable fish stocks | 39% | 1,568,844 |
| 14 | Overall quality of life | 38% | 1,520,198 |
| 15 | Rent control | 37% | 1,516,144 |
| 16 | Climate change | 37% | 1,487,767 |
| 17 | Tackle environmental pollution | 36% | 1,439,120 |
| 18 | Improve Oceans quality | 35% | 1,410,743 |
| 19 | Social housing supply | 34% | 1,370,205 |
| 20 | Economic development | 33% | 1,325,612 |
| 21 | Economic management | 32% | 1,301,289 |
| 22 | Public Transport | 31% | 1,244,535 |
| 23 | Honouring Treaty of Waitangi commitments | 30% | 1,208,050 |
| 24 | Taxation | 29% | 1,191,835 |
| 25 | Mortgage interest rates | 29% | 1,183,727 |
| 26 | Racial harmony | 29% | 1,159,404 |
| 27 | Stop co-governance policies | 26% | 1,045,896 |
| 28 | Reduce unemployment | 26% | 1,041,842 |
| 29 | Welfare | 25% | 1,017,519 |
| 30 | Increasing my income | 25% | 1,013,465 |
| 31 | Create new jobs | 25% | 1,001,303 |
| 32 | Immigration | 23% | 948,603 |
| 33 | Keep laws implementing the Treaty of Waitangi/ Te Tiriti o Waitangi using treaty principles | 23% | 932,388 |
| 34 | Firearms control | 22% | 891,849 |
| 35 | New Zealand Superannuation | 21% | 863,472 |
| 36 | Regional investment | 20% | 794,557 |
| 37 | Cultural diversity | 16% | 656,725 |
| 38 | Repeal laws implementing the Treaty of Waitangi/ Te Tiriti o Waitangi using treaty principles | 16% | 644,564 |
| 39 | KiwiSaver | 15% | 608,079 |
| 40 | COVID-19 pandemic management | 12% | 494,571 |
| 41 | Continue with co-governance policies | 12% | 478,355 |
| N (unweighted) | 1,033 |
Research method
An online survey of adults living in New Zealand aged 18 and older.
Sample sources
Members of two nationwide Horizon Research panels and a third-party panel (used for source diversity).
Fieldwork dates
2 to 8 February 2024.
Sample size
1,035 adults.
Weighting
The total sample is weighted on age, education, ethnicity, personal income, region and Party Vote 2023 to match the NZ adult population.
Maximum predicted margin of error
±3% at the 95% confidence level.
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