Voters say ‘yes’ to tourism and ‘no’ to asset sales in order to grow the economy

Voters want more tourism. Photo / 123rf

Voters want more tourism to power the Government’s economic growth agenda, according to a new poll.

They’re also keen on foreign students and foreign investment, according to a Taxpayers’ Union-Curia Poll, which asked voters whether they would support or oppose various policies to grow the economy.

Boosting tourism was by far the favourite. International visitors are still at just 88.9% of pre-Covid levels. A full 65% wanted to grow the economy through increasing tourism, with just 10% opposing it, giving the policy net 54% support.

The next most popular policy was boosting international students, which was supported by 62% of respondents and opposed by just 13%, giving it net 49% support.

Increasing foreign investment was somewhat less popular with a net support of 10%, comprised of 37% of respondents in support and 26% opposed.

More immigration was supported by a net 9% of respondents. This figure was comprised of 38% of respondents in support and 29% opposed.

Taken together, the positive results for all these changes would suggest that New Zealand has remained somewhat immune to the xenophobic and protectionist political wind sweeping the globe and remains open to migrants, tourists, and foreign capital. The Government has announced or indicated it would announce policy changes in all of these areas.

The poll also asked about tax changes. Unsurprisingly, voters backed cutting income taxes by 62% to 15% giving them a net support of 45%. Income taxes tend to be more popular when not polled against how they might be paid for.

Cutting the company tax rate was supported by a net 10% of people, more mining had a net 0% rating with 37% of respondents in support and opposition.

The only proposal with net negative support was privatising commercial entities, which had negative support of 9% with 25% in support and 34% in opposition.

Act leader David Seymour has said he backs privatisation. National has said it is not up for privatisations this term but has left the door open to some next term.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Sam Warren said his organisation wanted to see lower personal and company tax rates “so we can keep more of what we earn, and to encourage investment”.

“Most New Zealanders agree on this strategy with this as a way to grow the economy and pull us out of recession.”

In only three short months now, Minister for Finance and Economic Growth Nicola Willis will deliver her second budget.

Until this point, Willis has been reluctant to make the kinds of bold decisions she and her Government were elected to make.

“For the sake of improving the economy and moving New Zealand forward, let’s hope ‘going for growth’ is more than just a bumper sticker,” Warren said.

Thomas Coughlan is deputy political editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the press gallery since 2018.