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Fuel prices become fourth-biggest issue for New Zealanders, poll finds
Concern about fuel prices has surged 17 points to become the fourth-biggest issue for New Zealanders, with Labour rated best able to tackle the problem.
The Ipsos Issues Monitor survey showed Labour rated most capable of managing seven of the top 10 concerns, despite a dearth of policy proposals – including on fuel.
The results will be quite a blow to a government that has prioritised supply-side responses to the crisis, though Labour’s declining ratings on four of the top five concerns will be some comfort to National.
Labour still leads on 9 of the top 20 concerns, while National leads on four – and they are equal on two (drug/alcohol abuse; population/overcrowding).
Ratings of the government remained at 4.2 out of 10 – the same rating achieved in February and just three points up from the record-low 3.9 reported in November.
Pollsters’ rating of government performance. Photo: Supplied / Ipsos
The quarterly survey asked New Zealanders what they thought were the top three most important issues facing the country today, and which party was best able to manage them.
A total 1001 New Zealanders aged 18+ were surveyed between 15 and 20 May, with results weighted by age, gender and region and a maximum margin of error of +/-3.1% at a 95 percent confidence level.
The study had no external sponsors or partners and was initiated by Ipsos.
The top five concerns
Cost of living remained the top concern, gaining two points to 61 percent, with Labour rated most capable of managing it – although both major parties dropped two points compared to the previous survey, Labour down to 33 percent and National to 26 percent.
The Greens gained 2 points to 8 percent, with NZ First on 6 percent, ACT on 4 percent, and Te Pāti Māori on 1 percent; 12 percent were not sure and 9 percent did not respond.
A graphic showing which political party pollsters thought could best manage an issue. Photo: Supplied / Ipsos
Healthcare remained the second-biggest concern, rising 1 point to 39 percent, with Labour gaining 1 point to 38 percent and National remaining steady at 25 percent.
National regained its lead over Labour on the third-rated concern – the economy – up 1 point to 33 percent while Labour dropped four points to 28 percent. The Greens gained a statistically significant three points to 7 percent – again beating NZ First (6 percent) and ACT (4 percent).
Concern about the economy remained steady at 33 percent.
Fuel – rated 9th-equal in the previous survey in February – shot up 17 points to 26 percent, becoming the fourth-most pressing concern, with Labour rated at 28 percent – a 2-point fall – compared to National’s 25 percent, down 1.
Housing was the 5th-biggest concern, falling four points to 21 percent, with Labour (29 percent, down 5) rated most capable – although National narrowed the gap, gaining 3 points to 27 percent, and a statistically significant four-point bump for the Greens to 9 percent.
Other trends
Crime/Law and order – one of the few concerns National has consistently outrated others on, and previously in the top five – fell a statistically significant four points to 16 percent, overtaken not only by fuel but by unemployment (19 percent, steady) and poverty/inequality (17 percent, up 1 point).
A graphic showing which political party pollsters thought could best manage an issue. Photo: Supplied / Ipsos
The Greens gained on all of the top-five concerns, as well as unemployment, (up 2 to 7 percent), Poverty/inequality (up 4 to 12 percent), Education (up 1 to 7 percent) and immigration (up 3 to 7 percent).
New Zealand First has been pushing immigration as an election issue, and at 20 percent (up 2 points) was rated just below National’s 21 percent, (down 2), gaining on Labour’s lead at 27 percent (down 1).
Of those who chose immigration as a top concern, 20 percent said NZ First was best able to manage it, but the matter remained a low priority for New Zealanders – at 13th, down 2 points to 6 percent.
National also narrowed the gap on Education, gaining 1 point to 31 percent – just behind Labour which continued to slide, down 2 points to 32 percent.
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The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
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