Research highlights generation gap on indigenous issues

There are different generational views on whether indigenous language should be taught in school and what direction New Zealand should be heading in.

Rangahau Aotearoa Research New Zealand surveyed a thousand people on a range of issues including support for a Treaty of Waitangi referendum, tobacco tax and government priorities.

Managing partner Emanuel Kalafatelis says opinions are polarised on whether the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi should go to a referendum.

“There are as many people that think we should have a referendum, as there are who think we shouldn’t.

“So the numbers are, respectively, 36 [percent] for, 35 against, so it’s pretty balanced at the moment, everyone else is sitting in the middle, wondering which way to jump, so as things develop it will be interesting to see how these numbers move.”

The poll was held in the lead up to Waitangi Day, where indigenous issues were building towards a confrontation between tangata whenua and government leaders.

Pacific people made up just nine percent of the survey respondents, but Kalafatelis says their answers on the treaty issue were surprising.

“Support for the referendum was around a third, 36%, [but] amongst Pacific people, it was actually 45, so that’s quite a big difference.

“I don’t think we can hang our hat on it from a statistical point of view, but there’s definitely a tendency amongst Pacific people to support the idea of a referendum.”

Other topics included whether te reo Māori should be a compulsory subject in school. Younger pollers (18-34) were 67% in favour, compared to an average of 37%, and the 55 plus age bracket were just 17% in favour.

Survey results show younger people have more progressive views on New Zealand's future. Photo/Research New Zealand

Kalafatelis says younger recipients had more progressive views on National identity issues such as making New Zealand a republic (42%), changing the flag (39%) and changing the country’s name (41%).

“Our younger generation, as they’re coming through, they’re looking at what sort of country we are and whether we should be changing, and it’s clear that younger people, our younger generation have some pretty firm views on the way forward.”

The survey listed the high cost of living as the top priority issue for the government, followed by long GP and hospital waiting times and youth crime.

Watch the full interview with Emanuel Kalafatelis on Pacific Mornings here: