Kiwis blame poor for being lazy

New Zealanders have turned their backs against further social reforms to help the poor, saying that needy people are lazy and lack willpower.

Early results from the local part of a world survey of people's values show that Kiwis are more willing to blame poverty on laziness than people in any of the other 32 countries where this question was asked.

Massey University sociologist Paul Perry, who led the New Zealand part of the survey, said the results helped explain the doubling of the National Party vote in last year's election.

National welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins welcomed the results with "great joy".

"A lot of people are saying, why do we have 15 per cent of our working-age population on benefits at a time when we have a skill shortage and a shortage of unskilled labour?" she said.

"People are saying, you can't keep blaming society, you have to take some responsibility for yourself."

Other questions yet to be analysed are expected to show that most Kiwis still want more state spending on specific areas such as health, education and housing, even though many now oppose the general idea that the Government should "take more responsibility to ensure that everyone is provided for".

"There is a contradiction," Dr Perry said. "On broad generalisations there is support for the neo-liberal side, but if you ask should the Government do certain things, there is much more support for that. When the hurricane hits, you should help."

The survey gave people only two options for the question, "Why are there people in this country who live in need?"

In the last survey in 1998, exactly half picked the option, "They are poor because of laziness and lack of willpower." The other 50 per cent said, "They are poor because society treats them unfairly."

In the latest survey in 2004, the number picking "laziness and lack of willpower" soared to 73 per cent. Those ticking "because society treats them unfairly" plunged to just 27pc.

The survey also found that:

* 73 per cent of Kiwis support owners running their own businesses and appointing the managers. This was a higher share than elsewhere and contrasts with major support in poorer countries for joint employer/employee participation in appointing managers.

* Half of all Kiwis are happy with the current division of wealth between rich and poor. A quarter would like more equality, and another quarter would like less equality to increase incentives.

* Half are also happy with the current balance between Government and personal responsibility. But those wanting more personal responsibility have risen from 33 per cent in 1998 to 37 per cent, while those wanting more Government responsibility dropped from 20 to 17 per cent.

* Support for free trade has risen from 36 per cent to 51 per cent, while those wanting tighter controls on imports to protect local jobs fell from 64 per cent to 49 per cent.

* Five years of a Labour Government cut the number saying the Government was doing too little for those in need from 62 per cent to 40 per cent. Another 44 per cent say state assistance is "about right", and only 17 per cent say it is too much.