Since the last release of Mind & Matters, New Zealanders are most likely to have felt happy and relaxed emotions. Happy/joyful was the emotion New Zealanders were most likely to have experienced. However, the proportion of Kiwis feeling happy/optimistic has declined steadily since a peak in February, falling back to near its January benchmark. 

While this pattern is consistent across men and women, those aged 35-64 experienced a decline in feeling happy/joyful since January, dropping 5pp (January 56% vs April 51%). Meanwhile, those of retirement age (65+) saw an increase in happy/joyful (+7pp, 48% vs 55% in the same period).

April saw some sharp movement on a range of emotions, positively: relaxed (+5pp), motivated (+3pp) and anxious (-4pp). In contrast, there was a +4pp increase in frustration, although this continues the on/off month-on-month pattern seen since January.

The majority of New Zealanders remain negative about the direction the country is headed with only 42.5% feeling things are going in the right direction this year, effectively unchanged from the 2024 average (43%).

In April, 57% of New Zealanders felt the country was headed in the wrong direction. This sentiment was heightened among women (62% compared to 53% of men). Opinions vary markedly by age, with 48% of those under 35 years and 49% of those over 65 years feeling things are moving in the right direction. In contrast, almost two-thirds (63%) of the squeezed middle (35-64 years) are feeling things are going in the wrong direction.

What's driving wrong direction sentiment?

The healthcare system remains the top area that New Zealanders believe is heading in the wrong direction (67% April). This negative sentiment is mainly driven by women (71% vs 62% of men), and those over 35 years of age (71% vs 56% 18-34 years).

The second highest area of concern is New Zealand’s leadership and politics (55% wrong direction), with negative sentiment rising since February 2025. Concerns are strongest among those aged 35-64 years (59% wrong direction, versus 52% of those 18-34 and 47% over 65), and also from those in the South Island (67% wrong direction, 51% North Island).

What's driving right direction sentiment?

New Zealanders’ personal lives continue to be the number one thing that is going in the right direction (74%), above 70% for all ages and genders but especially high for those over 65 years (83%). Positively, New Zealanders’ beliefs around their financial situation seems to be improving, as this sentiment has increased by 10pp since June last year (61% in February 2025).

Looking more broadly, there have been encouraging gains for New Zealand’s relationships with other countries; 55% right direction, up from just 46% in January 2025.

Almost half of young New Zealanders are struggling to save

The last few months has seen an increase in the proportion of New Zealanders whose income ‘covers the essentials’ but leaves them little or nothing to save (34% April) with correspondingly fewer able to save for emergencies or future wealth goals (55% April). Positively, 69% of family households are able to save, with only 27% just covering the essentials. However, things are hardest for those aged 18-34 years, with almost half (46%) reporting they can just cover their essentials.

While the cost of living/rising inflation continues to pressure households, with 42% conscious of spending and 30% having to cut back what they buy, these April results represent a marked improvement from the 80% in this position in January 2025. In contrast, April 2025 saw 17% indicate that they/their household is unaffected by these pressures, the highest result since tracking began.