Sam Crawley @samcrawley.bsky.social · May 13 Immigration has been a low-salience issue in NZ — cited as the most important issue by fewer than 2% of voters in every election since 2008 except 2017. That year, when NZ First campaigned hard on it, salience rose to 6% overall and 22% among NZ First voters. In 2023 it was 0.6%. (4/6)
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NZ First has consistently opposed high immigration, but salience has risen and fallen. ACT's harder line in 2026 risks dividing a base that's roughly split on the issue. Whether immigration becomes a deciding issue this cycle is the open question. (5/6)