KEY POINTS:
As the recession bites, New Zealanders are worrying about immediate costs such as rising fuel prices ahead of issues such as healthcare, crime and employment prospects.
A national online survey released today shows fuel prices topping the public's list of most serious issues, followed by the cost of living, the economic recession and healthcare.
Surprisingly, personal employment prospects ranked with Government deficits as the lowest priority.
The ShapeNZ survey of 2851 people, commissioned by the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development, showed transport issues also featured highly on people's infrastructure wish lists, with rail in second place behind public hospitals.
Among business people, rail was the top infrastructure priority, ahead of electricity generation.
Around 64 per cent of respondents backed the Government's plan to spend more on infrastructure to stimulate the economy. However, investing in local-government projects is the least popular option with the public.
A majority of people, particularly those in business, believed the Government's jobs summit later this month will be ineffective.
However, 34 per cent gave the Government a 4+ performance rating, on a scale of 1 to 5, and 53 per cent think the country is heading generally in the right economic direction.
Business council chief executive Peter Neilson said it was "striking" how buoyant people were in the face of economic uncertainty.
Neilson said he expected a similar survey in a year's time would show a more pessimistic outlook.
Our biggest worries:
1. Fuel prices (77 per cent listed this as a concern)
2. Cost of living (70 per cent)
3. NZ economic recession, healthcare (66 per cent)
4. Household finances, world economic recession (62 per cent)
5. Crime (61 per cent)
6. Climate change (59 per cent)
7. Interest rates (56 per cent)
8. Govt borrowing (49 per cent)
9. Personal job prospects, Government deficits (45 per cent).
