(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-05-29 13:58

Living a morally good life and having free time is more important to New Zealanders than getting rich, according to a recent survey.

The poll, conducted by UMR Research, asked 750 respondents to rate six values on whether they were very important, somewhat important, not that important or very not important at all.

Only eight percent valued being wealthy as "very important", but most rated living a morally good life (78 per cent), having enough time to do the things you want to do (64 per cent) and having children (59 per cent) as very important.

Climbing the career ladder didn't appeal to many, with only 37 per cent rated being successful in a career as very important compared with 49 per cent who rated helping the wider community by volunteering and donating as very important.

The research showed Aucklanders, men and those under 30 were more likely to rate being wealthy and being successful in their careers as very important.

More men than women valued free time as very important, while more women than men valued having children, volunteering and donating as very important.

Those that valued being wealthy also valued significantly more highly than other people having enough time to do the things you want to do and being successful in a career.

Similar research conducted in the United States shows New Zealanders and Americans rated things much the same as each other, but with one important exception.

While 61 per cent of Americans rated being successful in a career as very important, only 37 per cent of New Zealanders felt the same.