Labour has overtaken National as the party New Zealanders consider most able to handle the cost of living, according to the latest Ipsos Issues Monitor survey.
The topic has remained the top concern for New Zealanders since February 2022, and has now gone up five points since the last survey in February 2024 - bucking a steady downward trend.
Labour overtaking National on ability to handle the issue for the first time since October 2021 - climbing 4 percentage points to 32%, compared to National's 1-point drop to 31 - will be a worry for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon who made it a key election issue in 2023.
Labour also remains New Zealanders' top pick on the number 2 issue healthcare - rising 4 points to 40% to National's 24, up 1 point - with the issue also increasingly a concern, hitting another new record at 43%.
National is still on top when it comes to the economy at 35% but that's a 1-point drop from February, Labour closing the gap by the same amount, rising to 30%. Concern about the economy lifted 2 points to 32%.
Labour gained three points to 32% on housing while National stayed steady at 27%, and Labour gained 4 points to 26% on law and order with National still in the lead but dropping two points to 34%.
Labour has also overtaken National on petrol prices and taxation, meaning it's now considered the party most able to handle all the 6th to 20th-ranked issues other than climate change (Greens), pollution and water (Greens), Issues facing Māori (Te Pāti Māori) and Defence/Foreign Affairs (National).
The Ipsos New Zealand survey was carried out between May 23 to 30 and asked 1002 New Zealanders what they thought were the top three most important issues facing the country today.
Results were weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the wider New Zealand population. Some results may sum to 100% and others may show a difference higher or lower than the actual due to rounding, multiple responses, or the exclusion of "don't know" or "not stated" responses.
