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Potential National/Act NZ (46%) coalition is just ahead of Labour/ Greens (44.5%) in July, but Maori Party holds the balance of power

Public Policy / analysis
Potential National/Act NZ (46%) coalition is just ahead of Labour/ Greens (44.5%) in July, but Maori Party holds the balance of power
voting
Source: 123rf.com Copyright: twinsterphoto

This content is from Roy Morgan. The full original version is here.


Today’s Roy Morgan New Zealand Poll shows support tightening between a potential National/ Act NZ (46%) coalition now only 1.5% points ahead of the governing Labour/ Greens (44.5%). The gap is the smallest since Christopher Luxon became National Leader in late November.

Support for a potential National/Act NZ coalition dropped by 2.5% points to 46% in July while Luxon holidayed in Hawaii, despite social media posts claiming he was in New Zealand, while support for Labour/ Greens was up 1% point to 44.5%.

In July support for National fell by 4% points to 35% to its lowest since January 2022 while support for fellow right-leaning party Act NZ was up slightly by 1.5% points to 11%, its highest since February 2022. 

In contrast there were slight increases in support for Labour, up 0.5% points to 34% to its highest level so far this year and a similar increase for the Greens, up 0.5% points to 10.5%.

The drop in support for National appears to have largely benefited the Maori Party for which support increased by 2.5% points to 4% - its highest level of support for over a decade since April 2010.

In addition, a minority of 5.5% of electors (down 1% point) support other minor parties outside Parliament with support for New Zealand First unchanged at 1.5%, The Opportunities Party was up 0.5% points to 2.5% and support for the New Conservative Party was up 0.5% points to 1% in July.

This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted by telephone – both landline and mobile – with a New Zealand-wide cross-section of 937 electors during July. Electors were asked: “If a New Zealand Election were held today which party would receive your party vote?” Of all electors surveyed only 5%, unchanged, did not name a party.

New Zealand Government Confidence Rating up 2pts to 89.5 in July

The Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating increased by 2pts in July to 89.5. The indicator is now down a massive 31.5pts from a year ago in July 2021.

In July only 40.5% (up 1.5% points) of electors said New Zealand was ‘heading in the right direction’ compared to 51% (down 0.5% points) who said New Zealand was ‘heading in the wrong direction’.

The latest ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating for New Zealand was up 1.4pts to 81.9 and is now just below the latest Consumer Confidence figure in Australia of 84.1 on July 25-31, 2022.

Women continue to favour Labour/Greens while men firmly support National and Act NZ

Support for the Labour/ Greens coalition is strongest amongst older women aged 50+ at 53% compared to only 44% support for National/ Act NZ. For women aged 18-49 support more evenly split with 48.5% supporting Labour/ Greens just ahead of the 46.5% supporting National/Act NZ.

The smallest Parliamentary Opposition, the Maori Party, is now attracting the support of 5% of women including 9% of women aged 18-49 and 1% of women aged 50+.

There is a stark difference for men with 51.5% supporting National or Act NZ. In July 49.5% of men aged 18-49 supported National/ Act NZ compared to 37.5% that supported Labour/ Greens. For men aged 50+ there were 55% supporting National/ Act NZ compared to 38.5% supporting Labour/ Greens.

The Maori Party attracts the support of 3.5% of men including 4% support from men aged 18-49 and 2% support from men aged 50+.

Support for the Greens is far higher amongst both younger women and younger men than their older counterparts. Around one-in-six women aged 18-49 (17%) and men aged 18-49 (16.5%) support the Greens compared to only 4.5% of women aged 50+ and just 4% of men aged 50+.

Party vote analysis by Gender & Age

  Total Women Men
  All 18-49 50+ All 18-49 50+
  % % % % % % %
Labour 34 40 31.5 48.5 27.5 21 34.5
Greens 10.5 10.5 17 4.5 10.5 16.5 4
Labour/ Greens 44.5 50.5 48.5 53 38 37.5 38.5
               
National 35 33 30 37 37 34.5 40.5
Act NZ 11 7 7.5 6 14.5 15 14.5
Maori Party 4 5 9 1 3.5 4 2
National/ Act NZ/ Maori Party 50 45 46.5 44 55 53.5 57
               
Others 5.5 4.5 5 3 7 9 4.5
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
               
Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating
Right Direction 40.5 42 38.5 43 39 38.5 39.5
Wrong Direction 51 48 49.5 49 54.5 54.5 54.5
Government Confidence Rating 89.5 94 89 94 84.5 84 85
Can’t say 8.5 10 12 8 6.5 7 6
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

*The Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating is 100 plus the difference between the percentage of Kiwis who say the country is “heading in the right direction” and the percentage who say the country is “seriously heading in the wrong direction”.

New Zealand Government Confidence Rating is clearly higher for women than men in July

The Roy Morgan New Zealand Government Confidence Rating was clearly higher for women than men in July, but the gap did narrow by 6 points on a month ago.

Among women now 48% (up 1.5% points) say ‘New Zealand is ‘heading in the wrong direction’, while only 42% (up 0.5% points) say New Zealand is ‘heading in the right direction’ – a Government Confidence Rating of 94 (down 1pt).

Though down, a clear majority of men, 54.5% (down 2.5% points) now say New Zealand is ‘heading in the wrong direction’ while just under two-fifths of men, 39% (up 2.5% points), say New Zealand is ‘heading in the right direction’ – a Government Confidence Rating of 84.5 (up 5pts).

The Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating is highest for women aged 50+ at 94 while for women aged 18-49 it is lower at 89. There is little difference for men of different ages with those aged 18-49 having a Government Confidence Rating of 84 and slightly higher for men aged 50+ at 85.

New Zealand Party Vote: 2020-22

Source: Roy Morgan New Zealand Single Source. January 2020 – July 2022.
Base: New Zealand electors aged 18+. Average interviews per month = 934.

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24 Comments

Can you imagine the Maori party being the tail that wags the dog.

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7

im not a whinging "IM LEAVING GUYS" person. But this would seriously factor into leaving NZ. The pendulum has already swung to far here.

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6

Yes, I also decided to wait until the next election & make a decision then. After 160yrs/5 generations contribution to NZ including service in both WWs & none on any benefit, most of my family now live in Australia.

I will retain a NZ property so tenants can fund my new lifestyle.

 

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8

Hey don't let your sense of entitlement get in the way of an even quicker departure. Book that air ticket!

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3

So long and thanks for all the ika

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2

So everyone stuck around just long enough to get what they wanted.

Then you're going to leave but be an absentee landlord in NZ?

Hey those boomers were pretty self centred though, right?

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3

Where's your house bro? We can keep an eye on it for you eh!

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0

Perhaps the 'State' could seize all non NZ resident rental properties and use it to house needy folk,instead of funding your offshore lifestyle...

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0

kiwikidsnz....perhaps many are leaving to avoid listening to moaning old kiwi boomers...

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0

So are you heading to Saudi Arabia?

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1

Better brush up on Poi E then.

This next election is a prime opportunity for a minor party to garnish a higher percentage of the vote and ransom both majors.

If a government can do a bunch of stuff under urgency for a pandemic I can't see why we can't bite the bullet in a bunch of other areas.

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0

Looks like Luxon's honeymoon is already done and dusted. I guess National should have realized choosing an anti-abortionist who believes that a sky fairy rewards all the good things he does (rentals for Jeebus anyone?) wouldn't necessarily play well with a sizable chunk of the NZ electorate..........

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The scaremongering team of $55M conflating SCOTUS with Luxon while implying that it must be some sort of a crime to become wealthy.

Excellent choice of username btw

 

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6

Well he is openly fundamentally opposed to abortion.

 

When he got chosen as leader, I predicted on this site that his abortion and rainbow views will never win and keep middle nz, this seems to be playing out now the honeymoon is over.

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2

The die hard National supporters I know that sang Luxons praises a few months ago are all now openly expressing their doubts about him. 

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4

He was always going to struggle. The only people that didn't see it were the Nat faithful.

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2

Some of the Nat faithful. 

There's been some whisperings that serving up another leader indistinguishable from the last was a mistake from day dot. 

But there's no doubt some of the crap that Luxon is getting dragged for by the press is happening at a level far above any scrutiny applied to the Cabinet ministers who are walking around and openly talking about changing the fundamentals of things like one person, one vote and other core democratic principles.

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7

Luxon getting greater press scrutiny -- incorrect

Changing one person one vote -- incorrect

A Fail.

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0

Regarding rainbow I actually think he takes a very modern CEO point of view. Which begs the question though about how authentically fundy evangelical he is.

I’ve always wondered if he’s actually SO ruthless he just knew that’s what would give him a bit of edge when moving up the ladder in Texas… so what’s a few claps and songs at church once a week, am I right?

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We've no shortage of actual crises (crumbling health sector, child poverty, climate change, China) yet we're obsessing about Luxon's personal views on abortion and rainbow?  Maybe that's why we get the standard of governments that we do.

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3

Labour did well last election as a result of tactical voting...National had no chance so it was better Labour on its own than with the Greens.  It could be a similar story where the middle voters would rather hold their nose and vote National than risk the Maori party holding a Labour coalition to ransom. It will all depend on polling just before election day.

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5

Labour did so well in the last election because economic reality was "masked" by the government's Covid policy. Any government with a leader like Jacinda in such a situation would have flown back in as well.

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1

National + Maori = not made in heaven

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2

Such short memories. It worked when JK was leader of the Nats. In fact when he won the next election and didn't need their support, he said that things worked very well last time, so he included them in the government as well. Also remember that a lot of Maori, want to work hard, take responsibility for themselves, and bring up their kids to be decent, productive members of our society. A larger number of Maori than a lot of people realise fit in with what the Nats say they are trying tp provide for Aotearoa.

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4