Ipsos issues good news for National
Every few months Ipsos does a poll and report on what issues are most important to New Zealanders and which party they think is best to manage that issue. Here’s their current top five issues:
- Inflation/Cost of Living 53% (+29% from Feb 21)
- Housing 51% (-9%)
- Healthcare 27% (+4%)
- Petrol prices 25% (+17%
- Economy 24% (+1%)
So inflation and petrol prices have shot up from a year ago.
Poverty/inequality was 2nd place a year ago at 28% but now is out of the top five at 20%.
So National would much rather want an election about cost of living than poverty. The election is 18 months away, so this may change but inflation does look to be here to stay for a while.
So on the top five issues what is the gap between Labour and National and what was it a year ago?
- Inflation -7% (was +23% a year ago)
- Housing -6% (was +23%)
- Healthcare +12% (was +39%)
- Petrol prices -6% (was +22%)
- Economy -11% (was +20%)
Labour is now behind National on four of the five top issues. A year ago they were miles ahead on 19 of the 20 top issues and now they are behind on four of the top five.
This is hugely significant. You win elections if you are seen as better than your opponents on the issues that matter most to the public.