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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.

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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.

RankingWhich of the following do you think are the most important for the current government to take action on in 2024?ALLNZ Population aged 18+
1Improve the health system66% 2,667,440
2Rising food prices63% 2,537,716
3Affordable housing54% 2,185,031
4Reduce crime49% 1,990,445
5Youth crime47% 1,913,422
6Fuel prices47% 1,905,314
7Child poverty44% 1,795,860
8Law and order43% 1,747,214
9Quality of roads43% 1,747,214
10Water quality in rivers, streams and lakes42% 1,718,837
11Housing supply41% 1,666,136
12Improve primary and secondary education40% 1,605,329
13Ocean fisheries reform to build sustainable fish stocks39% 1,568,844
14Overall quality of life38% 1,520,198
15Rent control37% 1,516,144
16Climate change37% 1,487,767
17Tackle environmental pollution36% 1,439,120
18Improve Oceans quality35% 1,410,743
19Social housing supply34% 1,370,205
20Economic development33% 1,325,612
21Economic management32% 1,301,289
22Public Transport31% 1,244,535
23Honouring Treaty of Waitangi commitments30% 1,208,050
24Taxation29% 1,191,835
25Mortgage interest rates29% 1,183,727
26Racial harmony29% 1,159,404
27Stop co-governance policies26% 1,045,896
28Reduce unemployment26% 1,041,842
29Welfare25% 1,017,519
30Increasing my income25% 1,013,465
31Create new jobs25% 1,001,303
32Immigration23% 948,603
33Keep laws implementing the Treaty of Waitangi/ Te Tiriti o Waitangi using treaty principles23% 932,388
34Firearms control22% 891,849
35New Zealand Superannuation21% 863,472
36Regional investment20% 794,557
37Cultural diversity16% 656,725
38Repeal laws implementing the Treaty of Waitangi/ Te Tiriti o Waitangi using treaty principles16% 644,564
39KiwiSaver15% 608,079
40COVID-19 pandemic management12% 494,571
41Continue with co-governance policies12% 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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