We combined what they said to produce Voice of the People, a pre-election special feature drawn from the personal stories of 74 Kiwis, representing young and old, various ethnicities, rural and urban, well-off and struggling to get by.
Mike Potaka-Osborne, Whanganui.
Potaka-Osborne is a pensioner who believes the country is “going downhill”.
“We’ve got more unemployment, they want to bring the super age up.”
Our nationwide interviews found the cost of living ranked miles ahead of any other issue as voters’ biggest concern.
But for most, the overwhelming sentiment wasn’t worry about themselves, but about others.
Leanne, 54, from Christchurch summed that up.
“Personally, I’m fine because I’m not at the end of the scale that gets nailed by people … people I know struggle. I’ve got four kids, none of it is easy for any of them, that needs to change.”
Compassion that’s echoed by Sandringham’s Jude Dirkson.
“I’m alright because I’m working but I know a lot of people who aren’t and who are very employable, but there’s just no jobs for them at the moment.”
The 71-year-old health coach says the country could do with a “few tweaks here and there”.
The questions
All voters were asked the same set of questions – how they view New Zealand, how life is going for themselves and those around them, what issues matter to them this election, what they’d like to see changed, who they plan to vote for and if they will split their vote.
“Personally I’m not well off,” Kaitāia relief teacher Peace Ryder, 23 says.
“But I’m getting there. The struggle is real for my whānau, for my community.”
Gisborne teacher Nikolai Mastrovic, 36, is worried for his kids, his community and the future.
“We are pretty good. People are finding ways to get through tough times and all of that. I’m fortunate not to know a lot of people who are really struggling, but I am fearful for people who are vulnerable.”
At 80, Palmerston North’s Mike Keenan is still doing what he can for his community.
“My wife and I are retired in a freehold house, we’re comfortable, our family is comfortable. I do a lot of work for a charity and I see homeless people almost every day, there’s about 100 in Palmy, and it’s them that are not getting help.”
In Dunedin, 27-year-old student Ben said: “You can judge a society by our lowest people, and I feel like we’re not looking after them enough.”
Ben from Dunedin.
Also in Dunedin, 32-year-old finance worker Christopher is looking for hope.
“Personally, things are going good for me but I guess it’s just lucky circumstances.”
Retired now, Hastings’ Liz Fogarty is still in contact with her former caregiver colleagues.
“They are struggling week by week to put petrol in the car. They have to choose between petrol and food so it’s hard for them.”
Every single person spoken to by the Herald raised the cost of living as a major issue.
Nelson strength and conditioning coach Jono says: “We’re all in the same boat, doing it tough, trying to make ends meet and make it work, doing the best we can.”
Initially, Takapuna’s Anna, a creative arts therapist, blamed her choice of career for the tough economic times.
“Life is wonderful apart from really struggling to afford stuff. I figured it was my own fault for picking this career. But actually, my family, friends, clients are in the same boat now. So, it feels like a society issue, not an individual one.”
Wānaka feels like a lucky place to live for Kenny Vaugh – but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
“We’re doing the best we can to survive, cutting back on frivolous spending,” the 44-year-old food and beverage manager said.
Titahi Bay’s Bridie McLaughlin was visiting Taumarunui when the Herald spoke to her.
The tertiary administrator feels like she earns what should be a decent wage – over $60k.
“I’m on technically a good whack, but the other day I had $10 in my everyday bank account five days before payday, that’s not great.”
“Unemployment is up and homelessness is up and the health system is bad. There’s too many issues.”
There are glimmers of optimism for Gisborne chef Sha Bryban, who thinks we are doing better than some countries.
“I’m struggling, we’re losing hours at work because people aren’t coming out like they used to – incomes lower, cost of living going up, food getting more and more expensive. I don’t think there’s anyone out there that’s not struggling in some way.”
Matamata horse rider John Boyack thinks the minimum wage needs to rise.
“Everyone seems to be struggling; I give the kids a helping hand when I can.”
Rhys Delamere, Taumarunui.
Rhys Delamere owns the Trunk Coffee House in Taumarunui with his partner.
With a constant grin on his face, he waves, laughs and giggles “you’re next” to mates as they pass him on the street.
But when asked how he thinks the country is tracking, his smile fades away.
“It’s shit. Look at what’s going on. Look at who is in the Beehive.
“Life for me is good. We have a great life, but seeing other people in our country struggle, they aren’t going to get ahead and it’s sad.”
“We need more money for our pensioners to survive. Warmer homes for our people. Not just Māori. Everyone.
“I see it a lot as a content creator as well. I have people reach out and ask if I have food for them, of course I will always come through for them. It’s so f***d up.”
Jobs, rent, groceries – the cost of living election
Napier cafe worker Oliver Banks feels even having a job is a privilege.
“I have a job that pays for rent and groceries, but it’s hard to put away extra money each week. I spend all my time working and nothing left over to do things I want. I’m working to stay alive and that’s all I’ve got.”
Colin Wright, 68, recently moved home to Christchurch from living in Japan and is shocked by how things have changed.
“Japan is expensive. But I have to pay more for groceries and rent than I thought I’d have to coming home.”
Also in Christchurch, retail buyer Martin McDonald feels “neutral” about where the country is going, because so much is out of our control.
“I’m in retail and that’s not easy, there’s not a lot of discretionary income around.”
It’s taken three years for legal secretary Liberty to find a job, and after studying in Dunedin, then moving home to Auckland, she’s now boomeranged back to Dunedin after finding work.
“As someone who graduated not too long ago, it took me a long time to find a job that wasn’t in hospo. In terms of the economy and jobs for young people right now, it’s pretty dire.
“Personally, I’m alright, this job has definitely made a difference in terms of a reliable income.”
Sustainability, unemployment and ensuring minimum wage matches inflation are key issues for her.
Costs soar on the Chatham Islands
Wellington Bays candidates recently visited the Chatham Islands, one of the country’s most remote spots.
The issues there echo the rest of the country, while having their own unique challenges.
Petrol is “four dollars fifty a bloody litre”, Alan Harvey says.
“There are a few concerns, main one is health system. Our hospital, so-called… having issues with a lack of funding. When it comes down to nurses having to start cleaning the health centre, that’s not good, that’s not their jobs.”
Jack Damon, Chatham Islands.
Farmer Jack Damon is worried about seabed mining impacting fisheries, which is a big industry for the Chathams.
“There’s a lot of things that are impacting the Chathams that people in New Zealand are going through, but we seem to be a bit worse off. We have a whole lot of infrastructure money on the island for different things like airport, wharf, windmills, but a lot of people on the ground are worse off with the cost of living going up.”
Glenys Day has run a cafe and been an ambulance driver in her 54 years on the island.
“Things are so expensive here, as they are in New Zealand. My worry is how are the young people surviving? Cost of living is out the gate.”
Musician, film-maker and content creator AJ Atera is one of those younger islanders.
He moved home to the Chathams two years ago.
“I actually just had a good yarn about whether it’s viable to move back here. There’s a lot of cool stuff happening, despite all the bad, so I’m super optimistic myself.”
He’s worried about the longer term cost of living problem for his generation – “how we make money but also make generational wealth for our kids”.
Struggling to get by
Back on the mainland, Cheryl Pile, 66, is a retired teacher who lives in Waipawa.
“It’s really hard to manage on super. I’m a single woman, so I’m really struggling. I have to do things like go to food rescue, wrap up with blankets, to make ends meet with that amount of money”
She was among locals who flocked to a recent candidates meeting in Waipukurau.
Margaret Simeon is enrolled in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate and went to the meeting to hear what the candidates had to say.
“I’m not very happy. The treatment of low-income members of our community, they’ve been missing out to big money, to corporates.”
At 73, Angus McPhail is a retired farmer from Waipawa and feels lucky to own his own house.
“I’m getting by. If I didn’t have my own home, if I was paying rent, it’d be pretty tight.
He’d like the retirement age raised because it’s not affordable as it is.
“It’s one of those things we have to do.”
McPhail says National is “doing the best they can under the circumstances” and will continue to vote for them.
Simeon is waiting to get a knee replacement.
“Our hospitals are miles away … We no longer have a real hospital in Waipukurau, which is something my grandmother was very staunch with helping us get, including the maternity hospital.”
Health comes close second
Health was a very close second to cost of living in the issues raised by Kiwis, particularly in regional centres.
Pharmacy student Charlette Gilbert, 20, was in Matamata when we spoke to her about her priorities.
“Reducing inequities between Māori, more nurses, more doctors, more pharmacists, we’re running pretty low.”
Chartlette Gilbert, Matamata.
Justice and addressing people’s basic needs are what 40-year-old Rotorua nurse Caleb Ihaka would like to see addressed.
“I’m privileged. I have a roof over my head. But every day I see people who are struggling to make ends meet and have their basic health needs met.”
Gisborne’s Barbara Berwick came prepared for her chat with the Herald.
At 86, she sits at her table, notes spread out, having clearly researched and contemplated party policies.
“Gisborne Hospital needs more much funding, more money, more staff, more specialists based in Gisborne, we have a lot of visiting specialists, we need them based here.
“Another serious issue for the district is the closure of the Waioweka Gorge and SH35, we need lots more resourcing for that.”
Left-leaning voter Nikolai Mastrovic says health and education are his two biggest concerns.
“The education reforms that are being undertaken at the moment, I don’t agree with most of what is happening. In health, I worry about capacity and access to health care.
“I’d like to see a halt on the moves towards privatising those areas. I want to see politicians who want to invest in the right areas that help people.”
Education concerns
Father of two David Sims is a teacher at Ruapehu College and he too is concerned about the scale of education overhauls and the direction of curriculum.
But he’s more worried about others.
“I’m at the top of the scale as a secondary teacher. My concern is if we find it difficult to manage, how are others surviving?
He’d like to see counsellors in every high school to support students with the myriad of issues they now face.
Retired now, Cheryl Pile still worries about the education system.
“This Government has taken us back to some of the old ways. There’s a lot of things I’m concerned about that’s happening in schools now, and I’m one of those people who think teachers have the knowledge and they should make the choices about knowing the needs of the kids in their classes.”
The voters decide
Not everyone we spoke to wanted to say who they’d vote for.
“I’m influenced by those who would like to assist those who struggle,” Whangārei’s Ron Ford, 76, says.
Back in Taumarunui, Rhys Delamare isn’t sure who he will vote for, but he knows he wants the current coalition gone.
“Out. Out with the old, in with the new.”
Bridie McLaughlin is among those looking for change.
“I’m hoping for a different direction after the election.”
Liz Fogarty, Havelock North.
Liz Fogarty also wants a change in Government.
“They’ve had knock after knock, the young people and the working people. The young people are our future.”
Some are swing voters, including Whangārei’s Jan Love.
“When National gets in the rich get a turn and then Labour gets a turn and the middle class gets a turn, let’s hope the middle class gets a turn now.”
Others want National and the coalition to stay.
“The country is going well, I really like the Government at the moment,” Aucklander John Petrie says.
“I think they are trying to correct the errors of the last six years or so.”
Petone’s Susan Koljin, who is in the marginal seat of Hutt South, said she wants National and candidate Chris Bishop to stay.
She acknowledges things are “uneasy” and the cost of living tough.
“But I’m putting my hands on National to get us through another three years,” the 55-year-old fundraiser says.
“Traditionally I’ve voted National because they are on the right track, But they will need Act, New Zealand First,” Kerikeri’s Angie Cree, 77, says.
Australian Nick owns a painting business in Takapuna (and can vote here) and supports the current Government.
“I’d like to see us be more united. It’s party against party, not ideas versus ideas.”
Many are still unsure how they’ll vote.
“I’m still going to be sitting at my marae and doing the mahi for my people, the government changes, I don’t really notice,” Māori community leader Mutunga Rameka, 46, says in Kaikohe.
Havelock North teacher Daniel Kilmister thinks things are going “pretty good” and he’s undecided.
“Each party has good points and some things I don’t agree with at all.”
Napier writer Jane Barr: “I would love a lot more collaboration between the right and the left.”
Many feel disillusioned about who to vote for – “I’m going to go eeny meeny minie mo”, Rhys Delamere says – and so-called minor parties feature as prominently in their answers as National or Labour.
Several are considering splitting their electorate and party vote, for either local or strategic reasons.
Generational concern
“The country is going downhill quite rapidly,” 71-year-old Hilton Tuoung says in Matamata.
“I’m glad I’m not going to have to put up with it much longer, from the 60s we have rose-tinted glasses and I think things were better back then. I wouldn’t want to be young now.”
Rosie, 25, has travelled from Nelson to Christchurch for a medical appointment, but there’s one thing on her mind.
“I’m big on the environment and people rather than economy. Look after the whenua and people living here,” the early childhood teacher says.
But others do have hope – and ideas for change.
“I think the engine room has been looked after but unfortunately the passengers are [in] discontent,” 73-year-old Robin Hagan says in Petone.
Hagan wants more people to “share the spoils” of business success.
“I see that’s gone backwards if you like – people are hurting, even the middle. I like what’s being done in the underpinnings of the economy I’d like to see some of the fruits go to the people actually doing the work.”
Voter turnout was a priority for many we spoke to.
“If everyone was voting that’d be great,” Dunedin’s Ben says.
Levi Kamana, Kaikohe.
On the side of the road in Mangamuka, the Far North, stands 33-year-old Levi Kamana.
The line mechanic is proud to have recently bought a house in Kaikohe with his fiancée.
They are happy, even though it’s tough affording the mortgage, bills, rates and all other expenses.
But like so many Kiwis, he’s most worried about others.
“My parents have been working since I was a baby, but they feel like they can’t have a chance to retire, even when they are at that age. All the benefits the government gives at that age isn’t enough. They’ve paid their taxes their whole lives – it’s quite hard.”
Katie Bradford is a Senior Correspondent at the Herald. She has been a broadcast journalist for over 20 years and was based in the press gallery for 10 years. She specialises in politics, business and Auckland issues.