Survey Finds The Secrets of the Nation’s Wish List

Survey Finds The Secrets of the Nation’s Wish List

Media Release 1 November 2009

Survey Finds The Secrets of the Nation’s Wish List

Kiwis young and old dream a lot, and quite differently too, according to a survey done to find out what was on the nation’s wish list.

The top wish people had as a child was to own a pet (22 percent), however as an adult this wish had changed to wishing for more money or to win Lotto (36 percent). The top wish we have for New Zealand as a nation is to win the Rugby World Cup (13 percent).

The nationwide survey was commissioned by NZ Lotteries to mark the start of Lotto’s Wish List promotion, which extends Lotto’s popular advertising campaign.

When our adult survey respondents were asked what their ‘top three’ wishes were as a child, some obvious answers came up, with 22 percent wanting a pet, 15 percent wanting to go to Disneyland, 15 percent wanting a new bike, 11 percent wanting to go on holiday, and nine percent wanting to “become rich”.

Two percent wanted to play rugby for New Zealand, one per cent wanted their own room, a few wished for magic powers, to get rid of their freckles, go to a Star Trek conference, be a princess, and one had lofty ambitions to become the first Australasian Pope, which does not seem to have come to fruition. Of their childhood wishes, only 27 percent of survey respondents said they didn’t come true.

As an adult, the ‘top three’ wishes on their list are quite different, with a third (36 percent) wishing for more money or to win Lotto, 30 percent wanting good health for themselves and their families, 27 percent wanting to travel, 18 percent wanting their own home, six percent wanting to give to charities and for world peace.

Two percent of us wish to live somewhere warmer, two percent want to get fit, look good or lose weight, and a few wish for help with chores, to turn back the clock, and to die peacefully.

The top three wishes for New Zealand as a country were of a strong sporting nature, with 18 percent of survey respondents wishing for a Kiwi sports team to win their respective World Cups, 12 percent wish for less crime and violence, 11 percent want New Zealand to be a more prosperous nation, and ten percent want New Zealand to be a top international tourist destination.

NZ Lotteries will make some Kiwis’ dreams come true by giving away 20 prizes of $250,000 with its new Wish List promotion – that’s $5 million in extra prizes.

All Lotto players who purchase a ticket between Sunday 01 November and Saturday 14 November will receive an extra promotion voucher, and go in the draw to win one of the extra prizes in Lotto’s Wish List draw to be held on 14 November.

On top of these extra prizes, players will also have the chance to win a share of the millions on offer through Lotto, Strike and Powerball.

Ends

Survey Information

The survey sample was 1291 people and it was carried out via TNS-Global in June 2009. Full survey results are available on request from NZ Lotteries.

Survey Summary

Please find below the top responses, and a selection of the quirky answers, from our 1291 respondents.

What were your top three wishes when you were young?

• Own pet e.g. dog, horse 285
• Get a bike/new bike 204
• Visit Disneyland 201
• Have an overseas holiday/travel 154
• Become rich 119
• Have a car/drive a car 94
• Be a pilot/be able to fly 68
• Have new clothes/shoes 51
• Go to Australia 46
• Travel in space 24
• Have lots of candy 13
• Family members to return from the dead 9
• Meet Santa 4
• Be a nun 1
• Have a bath every day 1

What are your top three wishes now?

• Good health for self/family 393
• Travel 357
• More money/riches 283
• Own a nice home/new home 245
• Win Lotto 189
• Be mortgage free/debt free 159
• Kids to have good future/happiness 151
• Happiness/enjoy life 142
• New car/flash car 113
• Good marriage/partner/get married 108
• Not have to work/retire 107
• Go on a cruise 27
• Find true love 6
• Sex once a week 1

What do you wish for New Zealand?

• All Blacks to win World Cup 168
• Reduce crime rate/violence 154
• Financial stability/prosperous nation 149
• Be top tourist destination 128
• Total equality/racial harmony 122
• Charity towards others/peace 103
• Keep up clean, green image/nuclear free 99
• Be proud of our uniqueness 45
• Better healthcare system 35
• Stop child abuse/neglect 34
• A stable, honest Government 29
• Wipe out Swine Flu 22
• Find oil reserves 10
• Warmer weather 9
• Stop tall poppy syndrome 7
• Black Ferns paid same as All Blacks 1

ENDS

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