Views on immigration
Some interesting data from Sam Crawley using NZES data on immigration. The first is the proportion wanting a reduction in immigration levels at each NZ election:
- 1996: 57%
- 1999: 32%
- 2002: 49%
- 2005: 44%
- 2008: 55%
- 2011: 49%
- 2014: 49%
- 2017: 52%
- 2020: 53%
- 2023: 34%
So support is close to 50% from 2002 to 2023, but dipped in 2023.
The support in 2023 to reduce immigration levels by party vote is:
- NZ First 54%
- ACT 40%
- TPM 39%
- Labour 36%
- National 33%
- Greens 19%
The percentage of all voters saying it is the most important issue was:
- 2008: 0.2%
- 2014: 1.3%
- 2017: 6.0%
- 2020: 1.5%
- 2023: 0.6%
I have no doubt it will be higher in 2026, as NZ First campaigns on it.