Country split on Government handling of economy

The country is evenly split over the Government’s handling of the economy: 29% disapprove, 28% approve.

An HorizonPoll survey of 3,655 New Zealanders shows 35% neither approve nor disapprove, while 8% don’t know.

Weighted to represent the national population, the August 24 to September 18 survey has a maximum margin of error of +/- 1.6%.

Among government coalition parties twice as many Maori Party voters disapprove than approve.

• National has the approval of 55% of its 2008 voters for its economy management, while 16% disapprove and 26% are neutral

• 48% of ACT voters approve, 21% disapprove, 32% are neutral

• 40% of Maori Party voters disapprove, 22% approve, 32% are neutral

• 41% of United Future voters approve, 45% are neutal while 7% disapprove. However this result is indicative only because of the small sub sample size.

By occupation, the Government has approval of business people, but is well offside with teachers, nurses, police and other trained service workers: 35% disapprove, 26% approve.

Unemployed people and beneficiaries also disapprove (32%), while 18% of them approve and 33% are neutral.

Some 54% of business managers and executives approve, 16% disapprove, and 39% of business proprietors and self employed approve and 29% disapprove.

Results are weighted by age, gender, ethnicity, personal income, employment status and party vote  at the 2008 general electon.