Will’s Word: NZ politics is a bit of a snooze fest at the moment, isn’t it?

Another poll's out: the Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor, and honestly, I'm going to label it a snooze fest. Cost of living is still the number one concern for Kiwis, where 60 per cent of us say it's the biggest issue.

But then you're like, ‘Hang on, hasn't this been the top issue since February 2022?' That's more than two years of the same result, meaning we're getting the same results from a different government.

Labour has nudged ahead again as the party people trust more on the cost of living, which is ironic because we've been talking about this problem since 2022, under a Labour government.

Now we're saying they trust Labour. National, meanwhile, has dropped five points to 26. That's not exactly a landslide, more like a shuffle of deck chairs.

National still holds the lead on the economy, crime and foreign affairs, but their grip on the economy is slipping down to 32 per cent, Labour's right behind them on 30.

It is anyone's game in terms of whether an election were to be held tomorrow. But when you zoom out, it's the same pattern everywhere. Labour leads on 14 of the top 20 issues: healthcare, housing, education, and immigration.

It is anyone's game in terms of if an election were to be held tomorrow. Photo/Unsplash

The Greens, of course, dominate climate change. Te Pāti Māori, Māori issues. Nothing shocking, nothing new. Healthcare is still the second biggest concern, rightfully so. Housing's still right up there as well.

Crime is drifting down, unemployment's nudging up. Technically, the poll tells us something, but in reality, it's a bit of déjà vu. It's the only way I can characterise it.

The issues are the same, the parties are still locked in their corners, and the shifts are so small that it's really worth harping on about?

Listen to Will’s Word below.

This is why I'm labelling politics at the moment in this country as a bit of a snoozefest. We're getting no real vision from Labour, and on National's side, they promised to fix things - where are they fixing things, truly?

Because I ain't seen any improvements. The cost of living still tanks, and healthcare, as someone who spent time in an ED two weeks ago, is still horrible in this country.

Politics is a snooze fest, this government's a snooze fest. So is the opposition.

That's Will's Word.