Public mandates one of four major Budget policy proposals

The first nationwide post-Budget HorizonPoll shows the Government would not get a mandate to make changes to KiwiSaver, sell up to 49% of state-owned energy company shares or reduce its shareholding in Air New Zealand.

It would get a mandate to make changes to the Working for Families scheme.

Some 45.8% would prefer to vote in a referendum at the November 26 general election to make their support or opposition to the proposed changes clear to the parties in the next Government.  33.6% would prefer to have the election result overall indicate their position, while 20.6% don’t know.

The weighted poll of 1,154 people, conducted between 11.5am Friday May 20 and 6.30am Saturday May 21, has a maximum margin of error at a 95% confidence level of +/- 2.9%.

RESULTS:

QUESTION: The Government says that it is seeking a mandate from you at the next general election to undertake the following changes.  If you could vote on each of the changes individually, in which of the following ways would you cast your vote to indicate that the Government had your mandate?

Other Budget results: Forecasts unrealistic, households feel worse off

METHODOLOGY

Horizon Research - Budget 2011 survey

11.45am Friday May 20 – 6.30am May 21, 2011

Respondents = 1154. Weighted by age, gender, ethnicity, region, personal income and party vote 2008 to provide a representative sample of the New Zealand population. The maximum margin of error at a 95% confidence level is +/- 2.9%.

Members of the nationwide HorizonPoll panel are selected and invited to join based on the New Zealand population profile at the 2006 census. Pre-weighted respondents groups may then be invited to respond to surveys, and results further weighted to ensure a representative population sample is achieved.

For further information please contact:

Manager: Grant McInman

Telephone: 021 076 2040

E-mail: gmcinman@horizonresearch.co.nz