Poll shows overwhelming support for compulsory KiwiSaver
Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Voters have delivered a resounding endorsement of compulsory KiwiSaver, with fresh polling showing overwhelming support for requiring all workers to contribute to the retirement savings scheme.
The latest The Post/ Freshwater Strategy poll with Infrastructure New Zealand found 71% of voters support making KiwiSaver compulsory for employees, while just 10% oppose the idea.
The findings come days after National unveiled a major expansion of the saving scheme that would make contributions compulsory for all workers, including the self-employed, if the party is re-elected.
The survey – carried out before the policy launch – also tested one of the most ambitious elements of National's package: automatically enrolling citizens into KiwiSaver from birth with retirement savings beginning from day one.
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That proposal also attracted strong support, with 65% of voters in favour and 17% opposed.
Support for compulsory KiwiSaver extends across almost every demographic and political grouping surveyed.
National voters are the strongest supporters, with 79% backing compulsory contributions. But the policy also enjoys support from 74% of Labour voters, and 70% of New Zealand First voters, a party that has consistently supported the idea.
David Seymour has openly questioned the policy, but 73% of ACT supporters are in favour of mandatory contributions.
Even among households earning less than $70,000 a year, where compulsory deductions might be expected to face the greatest resistance, two-thirds (67%)support the proposal.
While support for enrolling newborns is slightly lower than support for compulsory workplace contributions, the proposal still commands majority backing across most demographic and political groups.
Political support remains broadly positive across most parties. National voters record 71% support, Labour 64%, Green Party 65%, NZ First 67%, ACT 55%, and Te Pāti Māori 64%.
By age, support is strongest among younger voters (18–34) at 68%, compared with 60% among those aged 35–54 and 67% among voters aged 55 and over.
Income differences are relatively modest.
Support sits at 64% among households earning under $70,000, rises to 68% in the $70,000–$150,000 bracket, and falls slightly to 63% among those earning over $150,000.
On Sunday, National unveiled plans to make KiwiSaver compulsory for all workers, including the self-employed, while expanding the scheme into early life and retirement through automatic enrolment at birth, a $1500 “Baby Boost”, and new Government contributions for parents on paid parental leave.
The package, which also extends compulsory employer contributions to workers over 65, would cost more than $1 billion over four years.
All workers would be required to contribute to KiwiSaver, or an equivalent retirement savings scheme, from July 1 2028 under the proposal.
Contributions would begin at the default rate and rise over time, with employers and employees required to contribute 6% each by 2032. Workers already enrolled in alternative schemes would be exempt.
Freshwater Strategy interviewed n=1,038 eligible voters in New Zealand, aged 18+ online, between June 5-11. Margin of Error +/- 3%. Data are weighted to be representative of New Zealand voters.
The Post/Freshwater Strategy poll is funded by Infrastructure NZ to encourage debate about issues that are important to the future of New Zealand.