Latest press releases

04/03/10 - Strong support for Wellington retaining NZI Sevens
New Zealanders are far from one-eyed or parochial when it comes to the preferred venue for the NZI Sevens of the IRB World Sevens Series (popularly known as the Rugby World 7’s).

The latest Research New Zealand poll has found that 66 percent of New Zealanders believe Wellington should retain the NZI Sevens.

A higher proportion of males (72 percent) than females (61 percent) favour Wellington retaining the NZI Sevens. The support was virtually the same across the age groups.

As one might expect, the support for Wellington retaining the NZI Sevens was particularly high in the Lower North Island where 74 percent favour Wellington, but even those living in the Upper North Island favoured Wellington by 61 percent to 16 percent, which shows that Wellington can claim to have truly national support for retaining the NZI Sevens.

One can say, however, that Wellingtonians are rather one-eyed about wanting to retain the NZI Sevens, with 85 percent of those living in Wellington being of that opinion as against 6 percent who felt it was someone else’s turn.

The Research New Zealand poll of 756 people aged 15 and over was conducted by telephone between 16 and 25 February. The maximum margin of error is +/- 4.3 % (at the 95% confidence level). The data has been weighted to ensure it is an accurate representation of New Zealand's general population. The poll was not taken on behalf of any organization, but as part of Research New Zealand’s monthly survey of attitudes and opinions.
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04/03/10 - Should New Zealand become a republic
The question of whether New Zealand should become a republic with a New Zealander as the Head of State has recently been raised again. A Research New Zealand poll conducted in November 2008, found that New Zealanders were divided in their views.

In November 2008, 42 percent of New Zealanders supported the idea that New Zealand should become a republic, with 48 percent against.

Today the support for this suggestion is even less with 32 percent of New Zealanders agreeing with the suggestion and 53 percent disagreeing. ‘The substantial drop in support for The Republic of New Zealand is unlikely to have come about by chance’, Research New Zealand Director, Emanuel Kalafatelis said. ‘The recent visit by HRH Prince William may well have been a factor’.

More males (38 percent) than females (28 percent) supported the suggestion that New Zealand should become a republic. Those under 35 years of age were also more likely to favour New Zealand becoming a republic (35 percent) as opposed to those who are 55 years or over (29 percent)

Interestingly, the current poll has found that the support for New Zealand becoming a republic is higher among Mäori and Pacific People, both at 42 percent than among NZ Europeans at 31 percent.

Support for The Republic of New Zealand is highest among those living in the Upper North Island at 40 percent and lowest among those living in the South Island at 26 percent.

The Research New Zealand poll of 756 people aged 15 and over was conducted by telephone between 16 and 25 February. The maximum margin of error is +/- 3.6 % (at the 95% confidence level). The data has been weighted to ensure it is an accurate representation of New Zealand's general population. The poll was not taken on behalf of any organization, but as part of Research New Zealand’s monthly survey of attitudes and opinions.
Click here to download the press release