1News poll reveals what Kiwis think about changing NZ's name to Aotearoa

New Zealand region from Earth's orbit in space during sunrise. 3D illustration with highly detailed realistic planet surface. 3D model of planet created and rendered in Cheetah3D software, 8 Mar 2017. Some layers of planet surface use textures furnished by NASA, Blue Marble collection: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_cat.php?categoryID=1484

It's on our sports fields and television screens, and now, a new 1News Colmar Brunton poll reveals what New Zealanders think about having Aotearoa as part of our official name. 

The public were asked, 'What do you think the country should officially be called?

More than half voted to keep the name New Zealand at 58%.

However, others opted for Aotearoa to be in the mix at 41%.

The public were asked, 'What do you think the country should officially be called?”

Looking further into that figure reveals just 9% of people wanted to replace the name New Zealand completely with Aotearoa. A further 31% wanted to see a double-barreled name - Aotearoa New Zealand. *Percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding

Results from September 2021 1News Colmar Brunton Poll.

The Prime Minister says she prefers to use both names and hopes the country follows suit.

"For me, I’d like to continue to see it used interchangeably and therefore whether or not there needs to be an official name change really becomes a bit of a moot point, because it just becomes part of the way we refer to our country," Jacinda Ardern said.

Earlier this month the Māori Party launched a petition calling on Parliament to change New Zealand to Aotearoa.

Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said the party had received plenty of support with more than 60,000 people having signed the petition to date.

"This is the Pacific, this is Polynesia, this is not Europe and this is Aotearoa," he said.

Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer responded to the 1News Colmar Brunton poll results by saying it was reflective of an older generational view, while pointing to a desired change from young people.

"This is a no-brainer for the younger population. What we have is an ilk, and sadly they're often the ones that have been polled, who are older and adverse to change.

"If not Aotearoa now, then when? When is it OK for us to be Māori and to express ourselves?"

The party also wants to see the official names of towns and cities to be replaced by their original Māori names by 2026.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters launched his own petition in response to Te Paati Māori's petition, in a bid to 'keep it New Zealand'. He referred to the name change proposal as "left-wing radical bull dust". It has received more than 16,000 signatures. 

For more reaction tune in to  1News At 6pm and Te Karere  at 4pm.

Between September 22-26, 2021, 1001 eligible voters were polled by mobile phone (501) and online (500). The maximum sampling error is approximately ±3.1%-points at the 95% confidence level. The data has been weighted to align with Stats NZ population counts for age, gender, region and ethnic identification. The sample for mobile phones is selected by random dialling using probability sampling, and the online sample is collected using an online panel.

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