Opinion split on farmers

Press, 12 June 1986, Page 6

Opinion split on farmers

New Zealanders are almost equally divided over whether farmers have been treated fairly by the Government’s economic measures, but by the smallest of margins believe that they have been. The latest “New Zealand Herald”— National Research Bureau poll shows that 44 per cent believe that the treatment has been fair, 43 per cent belive that it has been unfair, and 13 per cent do not know. This balance holds across all groups, as divided by age and according to whether respondents live in metropolitan or provincial centres. Women, however, have more sym-

pathy for farmers than men — 45 per cent of them believe they have been unfairly treated, compared with 39 per cent who think they have had fair treatment. The poll was taken between May 23 and May 28, when 1000 men and 1000 women, aged 16 years and over, were interviewed personally. They were selected by random-probability methods from the 20 main population centres. The question put to them was: “With, regard to the Government’s economic measures on farming, do you feel that farmers have been treated fairly or unfairly?” The detailed response was:

Sex Age group Centre ProTotal Male Female 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55 plus politan vincia % % % % % % % % % % Fair 44 49 39 38 46 48 46 44 44 44 Unfair 43 41 45 46 43 43 45 41 43 44 Don’t know 13 10 16 16 11 9 9 15 13 12 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Base 2000 1000 1000 461 425 321 269 524 1109 891 Copyright 1986—The "New Zealand Herald"