In New Zealand, a cross-section of 1,050 men and women aged 14 or over were interviewed by telephone on January 16-29, 2012. Respondents were asked: “Firstly, what do you think is the most important problem facing the World today?” and “What do you think is the most important problem facing New Zealand today?”
Economic issues are today clearly the most important concerns facing New Zealand and the World according to the latest Roy Morgan Research conducted in January 2012.
New Zealand views on Problems facing New Zealand
When asked about the most important problem facing New Zealand, Economic issues are mentioned by 51% (up 2% since October 2011) well ahead of Social issues (21%, up 3%) and Environmental issues (11%, down 8%).
The most important Economic issues facing New Zealand include the Economy/ Financial crisis/ Recession/ Inflation/ Exchange rate/ High dollar (18%, down 5%), Unemployment/ Job security (12%, up 3%) and Cost of living/ Increasing prices/ Financial hardship/ Household debt (9%, up 2%).
Social Issues according to New Zealanders are Crime/ Law and Order (5%, up 3%) and Child Abuse/ Lack of Child Care and Bringing up Children wrongly (5%, up 4%).
Specific issues mentioned in relation to the environment include (Other) Natural disasters/ Earthquakes/ Tsunamis/ Floods/ Volcanic eruptions (4%, down 1%) and Christchurch recovery & rebuilding (2%, down 2%).
New Zealand views on Problems facing the World
The biggest World problems are Economic issues (51%, up 2% since October 2011), far in front of Environmental issues (16%, up 3%), Social issues (9%, down 5%), and Terrorism/ Wars/ Security issues (9%, up 1%).
The most important Economic issues facing the World mentioned by New Zealanders are the Economy/ Financial Crisis/ Recession (29%, down 2%) and Poverty/ The gap between rich & poor/ Imbalance of wealth (11%, up 2%).
Other important issues mentioned by New Zealanders include Wars and Conflicts/ Unrest (6%, up 2%), Climate Change/ Global Warming/ Ozone Layer and Greenhouse Effect (5%, up1%) and Natural Disasters (4%, up 1%).
Michele Levine says:
“This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Issues Research shows that the Economy continues to dominate concerns facing both New Zealand (51%, up 2%) and the World (51%, up 2%).
“The dominant Economic issues facing New Zealand are the Economy/ Financial crisis/ Recession/ Inflation/ Exchange rate/ High dollar (18%, down 5%), Unemployment/ Job security (12%, up 3%) and Cost of living/ Increasing Prices/ Financial hardship/ Household debt (9%, up 2%).
“Other important issues facing New Zealand include Crime/ Law & Order (5%, up 3%), Child Abuse/ Lack of Care of Children/ Bringing up Children Wrongly (5%, up 4%), (Other) Natural Disasters/ Earthquakes/ Tsunamis/ Floods/ Volcanic Eruptions (4%, down 1%) and Government/ Politicians/ Leadership/ Government Spending (4%, up 1%).
“When asked about World issues, the most important Economic issues are the Economy/ Financial crisis/ Recession (29%, down 2%) and Poverty/ The gap between rich & poor/ Imbalance of wealth (11%, up 2%). The next most important issues facing the World are Wars & Conflicts/ Unrest (6%, up 2%) and Climate Change/ Global Warming/ Ozone Layer/ Greenhouse Effect (5%, up 1%).”
These findings come from a special New Zealand Roy Morgan survey conducted with New Zealanders aged 14+ asked what are the most important issues facing New Zealand and the World today.
In New Zealand, a cross-section of 1,050 men and women aged 14 or over were interviewed by telephone on January 16-29, 2012. Respondents were asked: “Firstly, what do you think is the most important problem facing the World today?” and “What do you think is the most important problem facing New Zealand today?”
The research conducted was both qualitative (in that people were asked to use their own words) and quantitative (in that the ‘open-ended’ responses were analysed and ‘coded’ so that the results could be counted and reported as percentages).
| Most Important Problem Facing New Zealand |
New Zealand |
| |
Nov 2010 |
May 2011 |
Oct 2011 |
Jan 2012 |
| |
% |
% |
% |
% |
| Economy/ Financial Crisis/ Recession/ Inflation/ Exchange Rate/ High Dollar |
18 |
22 |
23 |
18 |
| Unemployment/ Job Security |
13 |
9 |
9 |
12 |
| Cost of Living/ Increasing Prices/ Financial Hardship/ Household Debt |
6 |
11 |
7 |
9 |
| Poverty/ The Gap Between Rich & Poor/ Imbalance of Wealth |
3 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
| ^Christchurch Recovery & Rebuilding |
na |
2 |
4 |
2 |
| Low Wages |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| Need to Increase Exports |
1 |
* |
1 |
1 |
| Foreign Ownership/ Selling our Assets |
* |
* |
1 |
* |
| TOTAL ECONOMIC ISSUES |
43 |
50 |
49 |
51 |
| Child Abuse/ Lack of Care of Children/ Bringing up Children Wrongly |
* |
1 |
1 |
5 |
| Crime/ Law & Order |
4 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
| Breakdown of Family Unit/ Family Violence |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Drugs/ Alcohol Issues/ Drink Driving |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
| Social Apathy/ Lack of Values/ Lack of Empathy Toward Others/ Intolerance |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| Youth Issues such as Behaviour/ Pregnancies/ Crime/ Drinking/ Drugs/ Lack of Discipline |
6 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
| Greed/ Materialism |
- |
- |
2 |
1 |
| Racism/ Racial Tension |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| Social Welfare System |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Violence/ Gangs |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| TOTAL SOCIAL ISSUES |
17 |
10 |
18 |
21 |
| Christchurch Earthquake & Damage |
na |
10 |
1 |
2 |
| ^Christchurch Recovery & Rebuilding |
na |
2 |
4 |
2 |
| TOTAL CHRISTCHURCH ISSUES |
na |
12 |
5 |
4 |
| (Other) Natural Disasters/ Earthquakes/ Tsunamis/ Floods/ Volcanic Eruptions |
2 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
| Climate Change/ Global Warming |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Environmental Issues/ Degradation |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
| Environmental Pollution/ Water Pollution |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Rena Oil Spill |
na |
na |
6 |
* |
| TOTAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (INCLUDING CHRISTCHURCH) |
7 |
15 |
19 |
11 |
| Government/ Politicians/ Leadership/ Government Spending |
2 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
| Education |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
| Benefits Given to the Maori/ Inequality Between Maori and Other Ethnic Groups |
1 |
* |
* |
1 |
| Housing Shortage |
1 |
* |
* |
- |
| TOTAL GOVERNMENT/ PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES |
6 |
7 |
4 |
6 |
| Health Issues/ Disease/ Obesity/ Poor Health |
1 |
* |
1 |
1 |
| Health System/ Shortage of Doctors/ Health Services |
1 |
* |
1 |
* |
| TOTAL HEALTH ISSUES |
2 |
* |
2 |
1 |
| Other |
15 |
13 |
6 |
6 |
| Can’t say |
10 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
| TOTAL |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
*Less than 1%.^(Christchurch Recovery & Rebuilding included in both Economic & Environmental Issues)
| Most Important Problem Facing the World |
The World |
| |
Nov 2010 |
May 2011 |
Oct 2011 |
Jan 2012 |
| |
% |
% |
% |
% |
| Economy/ Financial Crisis/ Recession |
16 |
18 |
31 |
29 |
| Poverty/ The Gap Between Rich & Poor/ Imbalance of Wealth |
12 |
8 |
9 |
11 |
| Cost of Living/ Increasing Prices/ Financial Hardship/ Household Debt |
* |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| Over-population |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
| Unemployment/ Job Security |
3 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
| TOTAL ECONOMIC ISSUES |
33 |
34 |
49 |
51 |
| Climate Change/ Global Warming/ Ozone Layer/ Greenhouse Effect |
7 |
7 |
4 |
5 |
| Natural Disasters — Earthquakes/ Tsunamis/ Floods/ Volcanic Eruptions |
4 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
| Environmental Issues/ Changes/ Degradation |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
| Environmental Pollution |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Famine/ Hunger/ Starvation |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| TOTAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES |
24 |
18 |
13 |
16 |
| Greed |
1 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
| Social Apathy/ Lack of Values/ Lack of Empathy Toward Others/ Intolerance |
1 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
| Crime/ Law & Order |
1 |
1 |
* |
1 |
| Drug/ Alcohol Issues/ Drink Driving |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
| Violence |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| Racism/ Racial Tension |
1 |
1 |
* |
* |
| TOTAL SOCIAL ISSUES |
7 |
10 |
14 |
9 |
| Wars & Conflicts/ Unrest |
5 |
9 |
4 |
6 |
| Religion/ Religious Conflict |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Peace/ Lack of World Peace |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Terrorism |
6 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
| TOTAL TERRORISM/ WARS/ SECURITY ISSUES |
14 |
15 |
8 |
9 |
| Government/ Politicians/ Political Unrest/ Instability/ Greedy & Corrupt Governments |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
| TOTAL GOVERNMENT/ POLITICAL/ HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
| Energy Crisis/ Fuel Shortage/ Need Renewable Energy Sources |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
| Shortage of Resources/ Consumption of Resources |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Water Shortage/ Clean Water |
2 |
1 |
* |
- |
| TOTAL ENERGY/ RESOURCE ISSUES |
4 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
| Health Issues/ Disease/ Obesity/ Poor Health |
2 |
* |
2 |
1 |
| TOTAL HEALTH ISSUES |
2 |
* |
2 |
1 |
| Lack of Religious or Spiritual Values |
* |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| Education |
* |
1 |
* |
* |
| Other |
10 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
| Can’t say |
5 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
| TOTAL |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
*Less than 1%.