This is the sixth in the series that looks at one policy topic at a time instead of putting two parties side by side, after housing and cities, tax and wealth, welfare and work, climate and environment and crime, justice and surveillance. Immigration and national identity holds five statements: that immigrants should adopt our values, that immigration is too high and should be reduced, that Western culture is superior to other cultures, being proud to be a New Zealander, and supporting the country whether it is right or wrong.

The numbers below come from 744 responses split across six parties’ voters, by the party they would vote for if the election were held today: 260 Greens, 204 OPP, 163 Labour, 44 ACT, 44 NZ First and 29 National. Te Pāti Māori has too few voters in the sample to plot as a group. The other 110 of the survey’s 854 responses (Te Pāti Māori voters, other parties, and people who did not name one) count toward the correlations near the end but not toward any party’s dot. All five statements have been in the survey from the start, so every plotted party appears on each.

The sample leans left out of all proportion. Among respondents who named which party they voted for at the last election, Greens, Labour and Te Pāti Māori together make up 54% of the answers, against about 42% of the actual 2023 party vote, and OPP another 26% against about 2%. National voters are badly under-represented, about 7% of named votes here against 38% of the real result, so read the ACT, NZ First and National dots below as the answers of a few dozen people, a direction rather than a settled position. The sample composition page charts the skew against the Electoral Commission’s result and updates as responses arrive.

Every party's voters are proud to be New Zealanders. Western culture and immigration levels split them.

Greens OPP Labour ACT NZ First National I am proud to be a New Zealander. Proud to be a New Zealander Greens: +0.41 (n=260) OPP: +0.57 (n=204) Labour: +0.50 (n=163) ACT: +0.45 (n=44) NZ First: +0.75 (n=44) National: +0.72 (n=29) I will always support my country, regardless of whether it is right or wrong. Support my country right or wrong Greens: -0.69 (n=260) OPP: -0.54 (n=204) Labour: -0.45 (n=163) ACT: -0.35 (n=44) NZ First: -0.04 (n=44) National: -0.14 (n=29) Immigrants to New Zealand should integrate themselves in our society and adopt our values. Immigrants should adopt our values Greens: -0.04 (n=260) OPP: +0.22 (n=204) Labour: +0.20 (n=163) ACT: +0.67 (n=44) NZ First: +0.82 (n=44) National: +0.55 (n=29) The number of people immigrating to New Zealand is too high and should be reduced. Immigration is too high Greens: -0.29 (n=260) OPP: -0.05 (n=204) Labour: -0.15 (n=163) ACT: +0.17 (n=44) NZ First: +0.76 (n=44) National: +0.07 (n=29) Western culture is undeniably superior to other cultures. Western culture is superior Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Greens: -0.74 (n=260) OPP: -0.53 (n=204) Labour: -0.52 (n=163) ACT: +0.47 (n=44) NZ First: +0.42 (n=44) National: +0.07 (n=29)
Each dot is a party's mean answer on the nine-point agreement scale. Rows run from the narrowest party spread to the widest. n = 260 Greens, 204 OPP, 163 Labour, 44 ACT, 44 NZ First, 29 National.

As with every piece in this series, this is a self-selected sample that skews younger and more online than the country as a whole, so treat it as directional, not a poll. ACT, NZ First and National are the smallest groups here, at 44, 44 and 29 respondents, so read their numbers as direction rather than exact position. You can see exactly who has answered so far.

Section 1 of 8

Common ground: pride, but not unconditional loyalty

Being proud to be a New Zealander has the narrowest party spread in the topic. Every party’s mean is on the agree side, and so is every party’s middle half. Among the three large groups, 86% of OPP voters agree, 80% of Labour voters and 73% of Greens voters, with Greens the least emphatic of the six (+0.41). NZ First and National voters agree most firmly, and ACT voters agree on average with more of them sitting on neutral.

I am proud to be a New Zealander.

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Greens n = 260 Greens: +0.41 average, middle half +0.15 to +0.71 (n = 260) OPP n = 204 OPP: +0.57 average, middle half +0.35 to +0.84 (n = 204) Labour n = 163 Labour: +0.50 average, middle half +0.28 to +0.79 (n = 163) ACT n = 44 ACT: +0.45 average, middle half +0.02 to +0.87 (n = 44) NZ First n = 44 NZ First: +0.75 average, middle half +0.54 to +0.92 (n = 44) National n = 29 National: +0.72 average, middle half +0.49 to +0.88 (n = 29)
The dot is the party's mean answer; the line spans the middle half of the party's answers, lightly smoothed. n = 744 respondents across 6 parties.

Pride does not stretch to supporting the country whether it is right or wrong. Every party’s mean is on the disagree side here. Greens (93% disagreeing), OPP (85%) and Labour (78%) reject it clearly, and ACT voters lean against it too. NZ First and National voters sit much nearer neutral, with the middle half of each group crossing it, so on a few dozen people each the honest reading is that they are divided rather than agreeing.

I will always support my country, regardless of whether it is right or wrong.

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Greens n = 260 Greens: -0.69 average, middle half -0.90 to -0.47 (n = 260) OPP n = 204 OPP: -0.54 average, middle half -0.81 to -0.34 (n = 204) Labour n = 163 Labour: -0.45 average, middle half -0.80 to -0.22 (n = 163) ACT n = 44 ACT: -0.35 average, middle half -0.78 to +0.04 (n = 44) NZ First n = 44 NZ First: -0.04 average, middle half -0.53 to +0.44 (n = 44) National n = 29 National: -0.14 average, middle half -0.54 to +0.19 (n = 29)
The dot is the party's mean answer; the line spans the middle half of the party's answers, lightly smoothed. n = 744 respondents across 6 parties.
Section 2 of 8

Should immigrants adopt our values?

Five of the six groups agree on average that immigrants should integrate and adopt New Zealand’s values. ACT, NZ First and National voters agree near unanimously, the middle half of each well on the agree side. OPP (+0.22) and Labour (+0.20) voters lean to agree, about six in ten of each. Greens voters are the exception: their mean sits on neutral (−0.04) because they split almost evenly, 42% disagreeing and 39% agreeing.

Immigrants to New Zealand should integrate themselves in our society and adopt our values.

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Greens n = 260 Greens: -0.04 average, middle half -0.46 to +0.39 (n = 260) OPP n = 204 OPP: +0.22 average, middle half -0.15 to +0.59 (n = 204) Labour n = 163 Labour: +0.20 average, middle half -0.18 to +0.57 (n = 163) ACT n = 44 ACT: +0.67 average, middle half +0.44 to +0.90 (n = 44) NZ First n = 44 NZ First: +0.82 average, middle half +0.65 to +0.93 (n = 44) National n = 29 National: +0.55 average, middle half +0.34 to +0.88 (n = 29)
The dot is the party's mean answer; the line spans the middle half of the party's answers, lightly smoothed. n = 744 respondents across 6 parties.
Section 3 of 8

Is immigration too high?

The second-widest split in the topic is whether the number of people immigrating to New Zealand is too high and should be reduced. Greens voters disagree on balance (−0.29, 62% disagreeing), Labour voters lean the same way (−0.15) and OPP voters sit almost on neutral (−0.05). NZ First voters are the one group that agrees clearly, with their whole middle half on the agree side. ACT voters lean to agree and National voters sit near neutral; on a few dozen people each, that is a direction rather than a position.

The number of people immigrating to New Zealand is too high and should be reduced.

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Greens n = 260 Greens: -0.29 average, middle half -0.67 to +0.05 (n = 260) OPP n = 204 OPP: -0.05 average, middle half -0.43 to +0.33 (n = 204) Labour n = 163 Labour: -0.15 average, middle half -0.53 to +0.21 (n = 163) ACT n = 44 ACT: +0.17 average, middle half -0.16 to +0.65 (n = 44) NZ First n = 44 NZ First: +0.76 average, middle half +0.64 to +0.93 (n = 44) National n = 29 National: +0.07 average, middle half -0.32 to +0.51 (n = 29)
The dot is the party's mean answer; the line spans the middle half of the party's answers, lightly smoothed. n = 744 respondents across 6 parties.

A mean near neutral can hide a party that is split. This is the statement with the widest middle half inside the average party, and the shares show it: OPP voters divide into roughly equal thirds of disagree, neutral and agree, and about half of Labour voters disagree while a quarter agree. ACT and National voters are mixed as well. NZ First is the only group where most voters give the same answer.

How each party divides within itself: immigration is too high

Disagree Neutral Agree Greens n = 260 Greens: 62% disagree, 21% neutral, 18% agree (n = 260) 18% OPP n = 204 OPP: 38% disagree, 30% neutral, 32% agree (n = 204) 32% Labour n = 163 Labour: 50% disagree, 26% neutral, 25% agree (n = 163) 25% ACT n = 44 ACT: 20% disagree, 27% neutral, 52% agree (n = 44) 52% NZ First n = 44 NZ First: 7% disagree, 7% neutral, 86% agree (n = 44) 86% National n = 29 National: 31% disagree, 24% neutral, 45% agree (n = 29) 45%
Each bar is 100% of that party's voters who answered this statement, split into those who disagree (any strength), sit neutral, or agree (any strength). n = 744 respondents across 6 parties.
Section 4 of 8

Is Western culture superior?

The widest party spread in the topic is on whether Western culture is undeniably superior to other cultures. Greens voters disagree most firmly (−0.74, 89% disagreeing), and OPP (−0.53) and Labour (−0.52) voters disagree too, about eight in ten of each. ACT and NZ First voters agree on average, most of each group on the agree side. National voters sit near neutral with a middle half that crosses it, closer to an even mix than either of the other two.

Western culture is undeniably superior to other cultures.

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Greens n = 260 Greens: -0.74 average, middle half -0.92 to -0.54 (n = 260) OPP n = 204 OPP: -0.53 average, middle half -0.86 to -0.26 (n = 204) Labour n = 163 Labour: -0.52 average, middle half -0.85 to -0.27 (n = 163) ACT n = 44 ACT: +0.47 average, middle half +0.24 to +0.86 (n = 44) NZ First n = 44 NZ First: +0.42 average, middle half +0.00 to +0.84 (n = 44) National n = 29 National: +0.07 average, middle half -0.41 to +0.55 (n = 29)
The dot is the party's mean answer; the line spans the middle half of the party's answers, lightly smoothed. n = 744 respondents across 6 parties.
Section 5 of 8

The two immigration statements together

Of the ten possible pairs in this topic, adopting our values against immigration being too high separates the six groups furthest when plotted together. On adopting our values alone, ACT, NZ First and National voters sit close together on the agree side. Adding immigration levels spreads them out: NZ First voters agree with both, while ACT and National voters sit much nearer neutral on numbers. Greens voters sit near neutral on values and on the disagree side on numbers, and OPP and Labour voters lean to agree on values while sitting just on the disagree side of neutral on numbers.

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Immigrants should adopt our values: Immigrants to New Zealand should integrate themselves in our society and adopt our values. Immigrants should adopt our values (across) Immigration is too high: The number of people immigrating to New Zealand is too high and should be reduced. Immigration is too high (up) Greens OPP Labour ACT NZ First National Greens: Immigrants should adopt our values -0.04 (middle half -0.5 to +0.4), Immigration is too high -0.29 (middle half -0.7 to +0.1), n = 260 OPP: Immigrants should adopt our values +0.22 (middle half -0.2 to +0.6), Immigration is too high -0.05 (middle half -0.4 to +0.3), n = 204 Labour: Immigrants should adopt our values +0.20 (middle half -0.2 to +0.6), Immigration is too high -0.15 (middle half -0.5 to +0.2), n = 163 ACT: Immigrants should adopt our values +0.67 (middle half +0.4 to +0.9), Immigration is too high +0.17 (middle half -0.2 to +0.6), n = 44 NZ First: Immigrants should adopt our values +0.82 (middle half +0.6 to +0.9), Immigration is too high +0.76 (middle half +0.6 to +0.9), n = 44 National: Immigrants should adopt our values +0.55 (middle half +0.3 to +0.9), Immigration is too high +0.07 (middle half -0.3 to +0.5), n = 29 Greens OPP Labour ACT NZ First National
Dots are party means; the ellipse spans the middle half of each party's answers on both statements, lightly smoothed. Of the ten possible pairs in this topic, this one separates the six parties furthest together compared with either statement on its own. Across everyone plotted the two correlate at r = +0.49.
Section 6 of 8

Which statements move together

Across all 854 respondents, the strongest correlation is between immigrants adopting our values and Western culture being superior, r = +0.55, followed by adopting our values and immigration being too high (+0.51) and immigration being too high and Western culture (+0.45). Those three statements behave like one cluster. Pride in being a New Zealander barely correlates with any of them, between +0.15 and +0.24, and its strongest link is with supporting the country right or wrong (+0.31).

Within Greens voters alone, the values and Western culture pair falls from +0.55 to +0.41, and across all ten pairs the within-Greens correlations differ from the whole-sample ones by 0.12 on average. Most of the structure holds at the level of individual voters rather than coming only from parties sitting far apart.

Correlation between every pair of statements in this topic Blue-indigo is negative, orange is positive, grey is near zero; neither hue is a party colour Immigrants should adopt our values Immigrants should adopt our values and Immigration is too high: r = 0.51 0.51 Immigrants should adopt our values and Western culture is superior: r = 0.55 0.55 Immigrants should adopt our values and Proud to be a New Zealander: r = 0.24 0.24 Immigrants should adopt our values and Support my country right or wrong: r = 0.34 0.34 Immigrants should adopt our values Immigration is too high and Immigrants should adopt our values: r = 0.51 0.51 Immigration is too high Immigration is too high and Western culture is superior: r = 0.45 0.45 Immigration is too high and Proud to be a New Zealander: r = 0.15 0.15 Immigration is too high and Support my country right or wrong: r = 0.31 0.31 Immigration is too high Western culture is superior and Immigrants should adopt our values: r = 0.55 0.55 Western culture is superior and Immigration is too high: r = 0.45 0.45 Western culture is superior Western culture is superior and Proud to be a New Zealander: r = 0.15 0.15 Western culture is superior and Support my country right or wrong: r = 0.34 0.34 Western culture is superior Proud to be a New Zealander and Immigrants should adopt our values: r = 0.24 0.24 Proud to be a New Zealander and Immigration is too high: r = 0.15 0.15 Proud to be a New Zealander and Western culture is superior: r = 0.15 0.15 Proud to be a New Zealander Proud to be a New Zealander and Support my country right or wrong: r = 0.31 0.31 Proud to be a New Zealander Support my country right or wrong and Immigrants should adopt our values: r = 0.34 0.34 Support my country right or wrong and Immigration is too high: r = 0.31 0.31 Support my country right or wrong and Western culture is superior: r = 0.34 0.34 Support my country right or wrong and Proud to be a New Zealander: r = 0.31 0.31 Support my country right or wrong Support my country right or wrong Immigrants should adopt our values Immigration is too high Western culture is superior Proud to be a New Zealander Support my country right or wrong
Each cell is the correlation between two statements over respondents who answered both. Diagonal cells are each statement against itself and carry no number.
Section 7 of 8

Where immigration and national identity sits on the compass

On the compass, agreeing with any of the three cluster statements moves a respondent to the right, with little pull up or down. Supporting the country right or wrong points mainly toward the authoritarian, top end. Pride in being a New Zealander barely moves a respondent at all, which fits a statement almost everyone agrees with. The left-right axis blends economic and social views rather than being purely one or the other.

Immigration and national identity on the compass LEFT RIGHT AUTHORITARIAN LIBERTARIAN This topic Other statements Immigrants should adopt our values: Immigrants to New Zealand should integrate themselves in our society and adopt our values. (pc1=-0.12, pc2=-0.02) Immigration is too high: The number of people immigrating to New Zealand is too high and should be reduced. (pc1=-0.10, pc2=-0.09) Western culture is superior: Western culture is undeniably superior to other cultures. (pc1=-0.17, pc2=+0.02) Proud to be a New Zealander: I am proud to be a New Zealander. (pc1=-0.03, pc2=-0.06) Support my country right or wrong: I will always support my country, regardless of whether it is right or wrong. (pc1=-0.08, pc2=-0.16) Support my country right or wrong Immigration is too high Proud to be a New Zealander Immigrants should adopt our values Western culture is superior
Each highlighted line is one statement's loading, direction and length; the faint lines are every other statement in the survey for context. The crosshair at the centre is the political centre; positive loadings on the second axis point toward the libertarian, bottom end of the live compass.

The compass is not the whole picture for this topic. Beside the compass, the results page shows a third axis, from outward-looking (more open to trade, migration and outside ties) to inward-looking (favouring tradition, national identity and local industry). Immigration being too high, adopting our values and Western culture being superior each pull harder along that axis than along either compass axis, and immigration being too high is among the strongest of all the survey’s statements there. That axis explains much less of the difference between people than left and right do, so it adds detail rather than replacing the compass.

Three of the five statements pull hardest on the third axis

Left / right LEFT RIGHT Immigration is too high, left / right: +0.10 Immigrants should adopt our values, left / right: +0.12 Western culture is superior, left / right: +0.17 Proud to be a New Zealander, left / right: +0.03 Support my country right or wrong, left / right: +0.08 Authoritarian / libertarian AUTH. LIB. Immigration is too high, authoritarian / libertarian: -0.09 Immigrants should adopt our values, authoritarian / libertarian: -0.02 Western culture is superior, authoritarian / libertarian: +0.02 Proud to be a New Zealander, authoritarian / libertarian: -0.06 Support my country right or wrong, authoritarian / libertarian: -0.16 Outward / inward-looking OUTWARD INWARD Immigration is too high, outward / inward-looking: +0.30 Immigrants should adopt our values, outward / inward-looking: +0.24 Western culture is superior, outward / inward-looking: +0.18 Proud to be a New Zealander, outward / inward-looking: +0.05 Support my country right or wrong, outward / inward-looking: +0.03 The number of people immigrating to New Zealand is too high and should be reduced. Immigration is too high Immigrants to New Zealand should integrate themselves in our society and adopt our values. Immigrants should adopt our values Western culture is undeniably superior to other cultures. Western culture is superior I am proud to be a New Zealander. Proud to be a New Zealander I will always support my country, regardless of whether it is right or wrong. Support my country right or wrong bar length is the statement's loading on that axis, the same scale in every column
Each bar shows which way agreeing with the statement moves a respondent on that axis, and how strongly. The first two columns are the compass's own axes; the third is the outward-looking to inward-looking line shown beside the compass on the results page. Rows run from the strongest pull toward inward-looking to the weakest.
Section 8 of 8

How sure are we

Three of these six groups are large enough that their averages are fairly settled: Greens (260), OPP (204) and Labour (163). ACT, NZ First and National are much smaller, so read those three as direction rather than exact distance throughout. The pride finding rests on every group, but the common ground it describes holds in the large groups on their own. What a few dozen voters cannot settle is where exactly ACT, NZ First and National sit, and National’s positions near neutral on immigration levels and Western culture could move either way with more responses.

For how the compass and this kind of breakdown are built, see the methodology page.

Want to see where your own answers land? Take the survey at kiwivalues.nz.