Support for political violence in NZ

Andrea Vance reports:

The Taxpayers’ Union-Curia Market Research poll of 1000 adults, conducted in early October, found 14% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: “New Zealanders may have to resort to violence in order to get the country back on track.”

This is higher than I hoped for. It is a small minority, but not a tiny minority. However better than the US where almost 30% agree with a nearly identical question.

Supporters of Te Pāti Māori were the most likely to endorse the idea, with 26% agreeing or strongly agreeing.

Among ACT supporters, 20% agreed, while support fell to 16% among Labour, 13% among National, 10% for New Zealand First and 8% among Green voters.

The breakdown by party is interesting, but also small sample sizes so should be taken with caution. For example the MOE for TPM at around 13%.

Having said that, the constant violent imagery and rhetoric by TPM leaders makes their result not particularly surprising.

The poll also found a strong undercurrent of social tolerance: 80% of New Zealanders said they have friends with different political views, a result consistent across most parties.

This is almost identical levels to the same question in the US. Personally I think 80% is a bit low.

Just over half (53%) of respondents agreed that all immigrants who came to New Zealand illegally should be deported.

What I found interesting is that there is greater support in NZ for deporting all illegal immigrants, than there is in the US.