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New Poll Shows More than 8 Out of 10 People Support Bringing Dental into Public Healthcare System

Source: ActionStation

A new poll shows a strong majority of people in New Zealand support bringing dental care into the public healthcare system, with that strong support existing across the political spectrum.

A Talbot Mills poll of over 1000 New Zealand adults showed 83% of people answered yes to the question, “Do you support dental care being brought into the public healthcare system?”

88% of Labour voters supported the move, alongside 78% of National voters. Women (87%) were more likely to support the move than men (79%).

“This poll is the latest in a series of developments showing growing public momentum behind plugging the gap in our healthcare system that leaves out dental care,” says Hana Pilkinton-Ching, campaigner for Dental for All, which commissioned the poll. (ref. https://www.dentalforall.nz/ )

“Dental is carved out of our public healthcare system because some dentists lobbied in 1938 to keep dental out,” adds Pilkinton-Ching, “but more and more people in New Zealand recognise that our mouths are part of our bodies, oral health is health, and it makes no sense for our healthcare system to keep excluding dental.”

At present, dental is free for under-18s, but is largely privatised for adults. A $1000 grant for essential dental care is available from Work & Income, though that grant is means-tested.

The same poll also tested support for dental care being free, with similarly strong results. 80% of people polled – including 76% of National voters and 87% of Labour voters (as well as 85% of Green voters and 79% of ACT voters) – supported free dental care for adults.

“A 2023 poll showed that 74% of people supported free dental,” observes Harriet Wild, Policy & Research Director at the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, the union representing senior dentists and doctors.

“This poll shows public support continues to build to bring dental into our public healthcare system,” adds Wild. “It makes human sense, it makes economic sense, and this polling confirms that the move would be an incredibly popular one among the wider voting public.”

A recent Dental for All report, completed by FrankAdvice, showed that keeping dental out of the public healthcare system is costing New Zealand $2.5 billion in lost productivity per year and $3.1 billion per year in reduced quality of life. Estimates of the cost of bringing dental into the public healthcare system generally range between $1 billion and $2 billion annually. (ref. https://www.dentalforall.nz/s/FrankAdvice_report_for_Dental_for_All_Coalition.pdf )

Dental for All will shortly release, later in April 2026, a costed plan for an integrated oral health service for children and adults.

Notes:

Polling conducted by Talbot Mills Research surveyed 1060 individuals (using nationally representative respondents 18 years and over).

The maximum sampling error is 3.1%. Fieldwork was conducted between 12 and 24 March 2026.

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ASB Research – New Zealanders back upcoming KiwiSaver contribution increases, even amid global market uncertainty

Source: ASB

 

  • 51% of New Zealanders surveyed plan to increase KiwiSaver contributions, with 19% already contributing 3.5% or more 
  • 52% of Kiwi are supportive of the upcoming changes 
  • 1 in 4 New Zealanders aged 18-24 unaware of any changes to KiwiSaver 

New ASB research shows most Kiwi support upcoming increases to KiwiSaver contribution rates, with many already contributing more or planning to increase their contribution once the new settings take effect, even as global market uncertainty continues. 

The KiwiSaver contribution rate changes are due to take effect from 1 April 2026, with default contribution rates for both employees and employers increasing from 3% to 3.5%, and 4% from April 2028, but KiwiSaver members can apply to stay on the lower rate temporarily.

Over half of respondents (51%) said they plan to move to the new default contribution rate of 3.5%, while a further 19% said they are already contributing at that level or higher and 5% plan to increase to a rate higher than 3.5%. 15% have said they will look to remain at 3%, and 10% indicated they plan to stop contributing altogether. 

ASB Senior Economist Chris Tennent-Brown says, “We know from previous research that about two‑thirds of Kiwi believe they need to be saving more for retirement, so it’s really positive to see that many are already making higher voluntary contributions to their KiwiSaver accounts, which shows confidence in long‑term saving goals despite short‑term uncertainty.” 

The survey was conducted in March 2026, during a period of global uncertainty and market volatility, making the findings particularly relevant.  

“Even in uncertain times, people recognise the value of staying the course. KiwiSaver is designed to reward long-term commitment, and these changes help strengthen retirement outcomes over time.” 

However, the research highlights a clear awareness gap, particularly among the younger demographic. While 57% of respondents said they were aware of both the upcoming KiwiSaver contribution rate changes and their timing, 17% said they were not aware of the changes at all, and a further 26% were aware a change was coming but not across the details. Awareness was particularly low among younger New Zealanders, with around one in four respondents aged 18–24 unaware the changes were coming. 

“According to our latest Investor Confidence report, younger New Zealanders show strong confidence in KiwiSaver as a way to build long-term wealth, even if they’re not across every detail of the policy changes. That’s important, because younger members stand to benefit the most over time from higher contributions.” says Chris. 

Despite these awareness gaps, sentiment towards the changes is broadly positive with 52% of New Zealanders surveyed supportive of the changes, 9% felt negatively, and the rest neutral.

Notes

  • Survey conducted March 2026 
  • Nationally representative sample (n=822) 
  • KiwiSaver members within sample: n=568
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Economic snapshot: December 2025 quarter – Stats NZ news story

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New Zealand cohort life tables: March 2026 update – Stats NZ information release

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Northland News – Councils respond to Juken NZ Ltd announcement

Source: Northland Regional Council

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE – NORTHLAND REGIONAL COUNCIL AND FAR NORTH DISTRICT COUNCIL
Northland Regional Council (NRC) and Far North District Council (FNDC) acknowledge the uncertainty created by today’s announcement from Juken New Zealand Ltd as the company begins consultation on the future of its Kaitāia operations.
FNDC Mayor Moko Tepania says the news will be challenging for employees, their whānau, and the wider community.
“Any consultation of this nature creates understandable concern. We know this will be a difficult time for affected workers and their families.
“Our priority now is to understand the situation fully and work alongside Juken as they explore options in a very tough economic environment.”
Mayor Tepania says councils will also be seeking support from central government.
“Given the scale of the potential economic impact, we will be advocating strongly for government involvement.
“Councils cannot advocate for this alone, and we need all partners at the table.”
NRC Chair Pita Tipene says the councils, together with regional economic development agency Northland Inc, are committed to supporting Juken as it works through the consultation process.
“We have already had initial discussions with Juken and will continue to engage closely with them to understand what pathways may exist.
“We are willing to work together to investigate every avenue, advocate for our communities, and support efforts to secure a sustainable future for the operation in Kaitāia.”
Both councils acknowledge Juken New Zealand Ltd’s open and constructive approach, including its clear commitment to working in good faith throughout the process.
Northland Regional Council, Far North District Council, and Northland Inc will continue to collaborate closely as more information becomes available. 
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Business – Manufacturing job losses highlight urgent need to back NZ made

Source: Buy NZ Made

The closure of the McCain processing plant and today’s announcement of 300 job losses at Wattie’s underscore the mounting pressure facing New Zealand’s manufacturing sector, Buy NZ Made says.
Executive Director Dane Ambler says today is a stark reminder that local producers are operating in an increasingly difficult environment with rising costs, weakening demand, and growing international competition placing sustained strain on businesses and jobs.
“A recent Buy NZ Made survey reveals the depth of the challenge. Almost half of respondents (46%) report rising operational costs, while more than a third (39%) say slow demand is impacting their performance. Together, these pressures are creating a perfect storm for local manufacturers, many of whom are already operating on tight margins.
“Behind every announcement like this are hundreds of families and communities impacted. These are not isolated events, they reflect broader structural challenges facing New Zealand manufacturing.
Ambler says now is the time for both Government and consumers to step up support for locally made products.
“We need stronger, more deliberate backing of New Zealand made goods and services. That includes government procurement policies that prioritise local suppliers, targeted support to ease compliance and cost pressures, and a clear strategy to strengthen domestic production.”
While supporting local is critical, the current economic climate is also shaping consumer behaviour.
“We know Kiwis want to buy local, but the reality is that times are still tough. Cost of living pressures mean many households are pulling back on spending, which is flowing directly through to reduced demand for locally made goods.”
Buy NZ Made is calling for a coordinated response that recognises both sides of the equation; supporting producers while acknowledging the financial constraints facing consumers.
“New Zealand manufacturing plays a vital role in our economy, from regional employment to supply chain resilience. If we don’t act now, we risk seeing more closures, more job losses, and a further erosion of our local capability.”
“This is about backing ourselves as a country. Supporting NZ made means supporting jobs, communities, and our economic independence.”
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Storm News – Awanui scheme handles twice the volume of infamous 1958 flood

Source: Northland Regional Council

The Far North’s upgraded Awanui flood scheme has successfully handled a record amount of floodwater – almost twice that of an infamous 1958 event that saw floodwaters more than a metre deep inundate Kaitaia township.
Northland Regional Councillor Joe Carr, who chairs the Awanui River Working Group and is deputy chair of the council’s Infrastructure Committee, says provisional hydrology figures from this week’s deluge showed a record up to 410 cubic metres of floodwaters were flowing down the Awanui River every second.
That compared to a figure of 220 cubic metres a second during the catastrophic 1958 flood and 258 cubic metres in a more recent, July 2007 event that had caused a lot of flooding and evacuations.
Councillor Carr says while there had been some overtopping of stopbanks this week – mainly in areas of the scheme that had yet-to-be, or were being upgraded – much of Kaitaia had escaped serious damage despite the vast and unprecedented flood flows.
“There was some costly flooding and associated evacuations as stopbanks did overtop both upstream and downstream of SH1 Bridge Waikuruki and in the lower Whangatane Spillway, all of which are works in progress, but overall the $15 million-plus, multi-year scheme upgrade performed very well.”
While some had overtopped, all of the stopbanks had remained intact and the scheme had also protected the Claud Switzer Residential Care home, a major concern in previous flooding events given the complex nature any evacuation there would require.
Councillor Carr says the NRC had assumed responsibility for the scheme 20 years ago and work on the upgrade had begun in earnest with the adoption of the council’s Long Term Plan in 2018.
Work that had been carried out to date included 6km of stopbanks, 5km of benching, 2.2km of spillways, 1.2km of scour protection, 200 metres of timber floodwalls, 750,000 cubic metres of earthworks, 15,000 cubic metres of rock stabilisation, the replacement or upgrading of 24 floodgates and the installation of an extra span at the Quarry Rd bridge.
Much of that work was specifically designed to protect Kaitaia township and another $2.5 million work is already underway or planned for the next two years to remove scheme weak points.
Fellow regional councillor Colin ‘Toss’ Kitchen, who chairs the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Committee (CDEM), says it is not an exaggeration to say the upgrade had potentially saved lives – and many millions in damages – during this week’s torrential rain.
“This was an extraordinary event with very intense hourly rainfall which tested the scheme to it limits.”
Both councillors say the scheme would not be the success it was without the work and support of many people.
They included landowners – some of whom had allowed the council to set back stopbanks on their land without compensation – previous and current councillors, the many members of the Awanui River Management Liaison Group (including tāngata whenua partners) and some dedicated council staff and contractors.
Councillor Carr says there had also been some very generous funding from Central Government in recent years.
“Late last year we (NRC) publicly thanked the Minister for Regional Development Shane Jones for his role in facilitating $11.1M of central government support for the project, which has significantly reduced the amount the local community has had to pay directly.”
The two councillors say the Awanui upgrade is an example of the benefits of central and regional government and communities working together for the greater good.
Councillor Carr says the council’s rivers staff would over the coming weeks analyse a mountain of data captured during this week’s rainfall.
This would be used to improve future scheme upgrade work and ensure any lessons learned were factored in to make the scheme the most resilient it could be. Lessons learned would also help Civil Defence in its work in future.
Meanwhile, Cr Kitchen also acknowledged the wider community, kaitiaki on the ground, local marae and emergency services for the “amazing work they have collectively been doing to keep themselves and others safe during the weather event”. 
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Health – Leading respiratory charity calls for urgent action on child respiratory health following stark new report

Source: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation

The Government must urgently fund RSV protection, expand free flu vaccinations, and tackle unhealthy housing, as record numbers of children are being hospitalised with respiratory illness, a leading respiratory charity warns.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ is backing calls in the newly released Cure Kids 2026 State of Child Health Report, which shows hospitalisation rates for acute respiratory conditions in children and adolescents have increased by 60% over the past 25 years.
Respiratory conditions now account for one in five hospitalisations among children and adolescents in Aotearoa New Zealand, rising to more than one in three for infants under one year old.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says the figures should force immediate action.
“More children are ending up in hospital struggling to breathe, and we know much of this is preventable.
“That should be unacceptable to any government.”
Funding has already been pulled back for flu vaccines for some of our most at-risk children and communities, while access to new RSV protections has been delayed, Ms Harding says.
“This report shows the real-world impact of those decisions.”
The Government needs to urgently fund nirsevimab (a monoclonal antibody against RSV), fund free flu vaccinations, and provide sustained investment in warm, dry, and affordable housing, she says.
“If we are serious about child wellbeing in Aotearoa, then preventing respiratory illness must be treated as a national priority.
“If nothing changes, we will keep seeing the same children come through hospital doors, with Māori, Pacific, and low-income families bearing the heaviest burden.”
Foundation Medical Director and respiratory physician Professor Bob Hancox says the report shows that children in Aotearoa are suffering from a huge burden of unnecessary respiratory disease.
“The 60% increase in hospitalisations and the stark differences in hospitalisation rates between children from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds demonstrate that most of these are preventable.
“Things that could be done immediately to reduce respiratory disease are funding of Nirsevimab for infants and flu vaccines for all children under 5,” Professor Hancox says.
“In the longer term, our society needs to address ethic and socioeconomic inequalities, improve access to primary care, and make sure that all tamariki enjoy the health benefits of warm and dry housing.”
Nirsevimab has been shown to reduce rates of RSV internationally and is currently under consideration by Medsafe and Pharmac, he says.
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Healthcare and Politics – Show us the money – home support workers can’t afford to wait

Source: PSA

Home support workers are calling on the Government to stop talking and start acting after Finance Minister Nicola Willis signalled it was considering extra funding for essential services hit by rising petrol prices.
The Finance Minister today said Health Minister Simeon Brown was looking at helping the 23,000 essential home support workers, whose mileage allowance has been frozen for four years.
“This is urgent. If the Government wants to keep home support services running at this time of crisis, the answer is simple: fund these workers properly and quickly,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Considering is not good enough. These workers have been underpaid and undervalued for years. They have already been hit hard by the Government’s decision to cancel pay equity claims covering the sector, depriving them of a significant pay rise.
“They cannot afford to wait while Ministers mull over temporary fixes when the cost of fuel has rocketed and many are filling up twice a week.”
Home support workers provide essential services to help the elderly, disabled and injured live independently at home.
“These workers drive their own cars to reach their clients and can no longer absorb these rising costs – they’re already earning too little.”
The PSA represents thousands of home support workers – they are overwhelmingly women, many work part-time and many do not have dependents so missed out on the changes to Working Families announced this week.
“The Government wants a pat on the back for ‘looking into’ a temporary fuel subsidy. Actually, these workers deserve permanent, and urgent concrete action, not a band aid.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Business – Heinz Wattie’s Confirms Changes to Operations in New Zealand

Source: Heinz Wattie's

Heinz Wattie's has today advised its people that it will proceed with plans to close manufacturing sites in Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland, as well as the frozen packing lines in Hastings. This will see a discontinuation of its frozen vegetables, coffee and dips businesses.

The announcement follows a formal consultation process, with the company seeking feedback from its people and representatives on the proposed changes, including the category exits associated with these sites.

Heinz Wattie's Managing Director, Andrew Donegan, says the decision is necessary to strengthen the business so it can continue to manufacture and sell products in New Zealand.

“We appreciated the open and thoughtful dialogue during the consultation process. After careful consideration and analysis of proposed suggestions, we have reached the conclusion that closing these sites and exiting these categories is the only way forward for the long-term viability of the business.  While change is needed, this is an incredibly difficult time for our employees and business,” says Donegan.  

Today's announcement will result in the loss of approximately 300 roles across impacted sites which includes some commercial roles. With site closures phased over the course of the year, final numbers will not be known for some time as redeployment opportunities continue to be explored.  

“The majority of those impacted are long-term experienced and skilled employees who would be sought-after candidates for many employers”, Donegan said.  

“Our focus is on supporting those who are affected with redundancy packages, employee counselling, career transition services and redeployment where possible,” says Donegan.

In Hastings, almost 50 people from the frozen packing lines will be redeployed, with some of those being retrained.  This means that they will stay with the business.

Wattie's will remain an employer of more than 1,200 people in New Zealand. Its Hawke's Bay sites will continue to manufacture more than 800 SKUs and sell products across 11 categories, including frozen meals and canned fruits and vegetables. Exports will continue to Australia, Japan, the Pacific Islands and other markets around the world.

Partnerships with growers for key crops such as tomatoes, peaches, corn and beetroot will continue, ensuring Wattie's remains a staple in New Zealand households.

ABOUT HEINZ WATTIE'S

A subsidiary of The Kraft Heinz Company, Heinz Wattie's is a major food producer with a proud New Zealand heritage. Founded by Sir James Wattie in 1934, Wattie's is home to the nation's favourite tomato sauce, baked beans, spaghetti and a wide range of fruit and vegetable products and meals enjoyed by millions of Kiwis up and down the country. Learn more about New Zealand's best-loved food brand, by visiting www.watties.co.nz

NOTES

Rationale for change

  • The decision was driven by an extensive review of the New Zealand business and not made with reference to any broader company matters. 
  • It reflects challenging economic conditions currently facing New Zealand, particularly the manufacturing sector. Inflation in relation to raw materials, energy and logistics costs along with decreased sales volumes were the key drivers
  • Wattie's has not been able to pass on all the input costs to consumers, particularly in the current climate with the prevalence of cheaper product choices.  
  • This has meant that these categories and sites have consistently been in a loss-making position over the last few years.
  • The categories which the company will exit are frozen vegetables, Gregg's coffee and dips and pates.   

Details of impacted sites

The La Bonne Cuisine factory in Auckland will close.
Wattie's frozen vegetable factory in Christchurch will close
Gregg's coffee factory in Dunedin will close
The timing of the closures will likely be announced at the end of April.