Survey finds we have class

Seven out of 10 New Zealanders believe the country has a social class system, based mainly on how much you earn, according to aListener Omni Poll.

Although income was seen as the strongest driver of social class, Auckland residents were more likely than the rest of New Zealand to see education and location as class factors.

Ethnicity, occupation and family background were ranked next as driving the class divide. Christchurch residents were less likely than those elsewhere in the country to see race as a factor in class.

Those earning under $40,000 were more likely to strongly agree there was a class system.

However, a quarter of all males disagreed with the statement that there was a social class system, compared with 13 per cent of the total sample of 1000 people.

The TNS survey also probed voter ideologies and found National Party voters were less likely to agree that a class structure existed.

Labour Party voters were more likely to see education and income determining class.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY