Highest ever poll rating for any party
TV3 poll just out:
- National 60%
- Labour 27%
- Greens 7%
TV3 have never ever had a party so high before – it is unprecedented in recent decades. And remember this is the poll Labour claims is the most accurate. Now of course there is a honeymoon period, but this is like having a honeymoon with Angelia Jolie instead of Rosie O’Donnell.
A Parliament on this poll would have the Government with 80 seats and the Opposition with just 43.
Phil Goff refused to be interviewed for TV3 about the poll – something no other leader has done in the past decade. But here’s why – Preferred PM:
- John Key 52%
- Helen Clark 14%
- Phil Goff 4%
Key is obviously having a honeymoon also, but it is a stronger honeymoon than any other Prime Minister has ever had. 64% rate his performance as strong and only 4% as weak! Considering the deep economic crisis we are in, that is astonishing.
His personal attributes have also shot up – 85% now rate Key as a capable leader.
Now a week is a long time in politics, and the next election is 33 months away. Goff is under no threat for now. But if he doesn’t make some traction towards the end of the year, he may find the summer of 2010 is BBQ at Dave’s place 
February 18th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Astounding results. Labour will stay down until they grow a pair, admit their cataloge of mistakes and abuses of power, then then find a reason to exist at all. Gotta feel a bit sorry for Goff. Hardly the crowning moment of his career!
February 18th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
God I hope Goff “leads” Labour for many years to come.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Oooooohhhh that’s gotta hurt
February 18th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Hmmmm, I wonder if the fact that Nicky Hager is trying to make something of, that he thinks that the Nats are “not doing enough”, is actually impressing NZ-ers? Perhaps Kiwis are sceptical about “stimulus” plans like the Obamessiah’s stinking pork barrell?
February 18th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Not sure if this a good or a bad thing as it might mean Goff get’s rolled – with him leading the left I didn’t see them winning come next time.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
bye p. goff – hello david. c
February 18th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
This could be good news – the collapse of the Labour vote provides a chance for the Greens to rival Labour as the major Opposition party if they play their cards right!
The Nats at 60% after they have rammed legislation (both good and bad imo) through Parliament with no opportunity for Select Committee scrutiny or public submissions is a bit scary though. I hope (for their sake and that of the country) this poll result does not encourage them to continue the authoritarian and non-consultative approach to legislation that has been part of the first 100 days of Key’s government. Opposition Parties being given copies of Bills a few minutes before the First Reading debate and the Bills not being referred to Select Committee is far from healthy democratic process – but I guess issues like that slip below the public radar in the euphoria of a new Government, which is why they feel they can get away with that shit now.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Yes, well where’s the MSM questioning of Key? Look at the free ride the MSM have given him, patsy questions, no interrogation of his “policy on the fly” policies. And where the fuck IS his birth certificate?
We need an MSM who aren’t afraid to ask the tough questions!
February 18th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
It’s just been a good summer. Wait until the job loses start coming in. Oh I forgot we’ll start subsidizing those wont we.
Good old National socialists.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
It’s threadjack time here at Monkey Towers – I made these rather pointless observations last week – with your kind indulgence:
http://monkeyswithtypewriter.blogspot.com/2009/02/labours-love-is-lost.html
February 18th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
I was smiling from ear to ear watching the news tonight. No wonder they are so keen to give Helen an overseas post!!
February 18th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Now what doesn’t one love about this poll?
I bet the Standard love it
It is normal stuff for the opposition party leady to rate lower than the PM as JK did for some time, but to rate so so so so fucking low would that be shit on ones face or not?
And to have the evil Helen rate 10% above one….. oh dear, poor old Phil In really does have limited time
And to bring in David C* will only make matters worse….. What dire straights they are in and yet the silly pricks still don’t learn……. keep on attacking lads, you can see how that works…. (for the nats!!)
happy happy joy joy.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
I wouldn’t be too worried if I were Labour. Clark was rating about this low in ’94, as was her party. She came back pretty solidly in ’96, as I am sure Goff will if Key makes enough mistakes.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Very disappointing results, sad really that there is 27% of the population that must be living in some alternate universe and would still vote Liarbore given the crap that has surfaced post election, this is a damning figure. Even worst is Dear Leader at 14% for preferred PM. Might I humbly suggest that the late great deceiver, Dear Leader, go work for the UN and take her 14% of supporters. New Zealand will enjoy an immediate jump in collective IQ.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Mr 4% must be really hurting; At least he voted to rid the Country of the EFA the most unjust Bill ever foisted on the NZ Citizens.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Blair M … is that the Blair M of failed National Party fame and now an ACT ‘outsider’? If it is, then with friends such as him we don’t need any enemies. Refresh me Blair… just what was ACT polling?
ACT is much much better than Blair M.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
“the collapse of the Labour vote provides a chance for the Greens to rival Labour as the major Opposition party ”
Hey Toad – are you suggesting Labour will drop to 6% ?
Lol
February 18th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
I wonder how many of those poll accolades come from left voters like myself who have been pleasantly surprised by Key’s style so far?
On a more negative note, I wonder who those 8% are who like National but not Key? And could this (8%/60%=13% of Nat supporters) be an early sign of the traditional National Party mid-term back-stabbing?
(Jokes, me dears, chill a little!)
February 18th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Patrick – if you want to go after THOSE points, remind me what the record-breaking result of the 2002 general election was again?
LMAO
(Bill English has regained a lot of ground, back to #2 after being the biggest loser EVER 6 short years ago!)
February 18th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
The Labour Party strategy of treating the Government as novices and naive and saying the public will wise up and return to the competent Labour Party just does not seem to be working yet. I did not think the Labour/Green approach of treating people like school kids represents good politics witness the light bulb thing and the school lunch thing. Labour just do not get it, and may it last 10 years may it last a lifetime.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
This could be good news – the collapse of the Labour vote provides a chance for the Greens to rival Labour as the major Opposition party if they play their cards right!
Wake me up when it gets to the part where Russel Norman shows up on the Preferred Prime Minister poll.
February 18th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Hey Toady;haven’t the ridiculous communist social engineering green utopian freaks done enough frigging damage to New Zealand ! ?
February 18th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Ratbiter – when was the last time a leader had as many letters in his name as he polled ? LMFAO
February 18th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Fa Goff. Or in English, bye, bye Mr Goff. I first lost faith when you denied Peter Ellis a decent crack at an overturn of his ludicrous conviction for Satanic abuse of little kids at a creche. Goff, you knew that the verdict was crap. A better man than you would have been honest and taken the tribulation on board to admit that he was innocent but you didn’t. You clapped out and wimped out.
And now my taxes pay you to speak in Parliament? Spare me ….
February 18th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I just hope Key’s as good at governance as he is at PR.
Does this media honeymoon mean the right’s gonna stop whining about the “liberal MSM” now?
February 18th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
“Fa Goff” or Phil Golf ?
February 18th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Give it twelve months when Key has handed a fat wad to F&P to keeps the boss there on over a million a year and a lot of punters are out of work, then watch those polls plummet for the Nats.
Key is a mug in suggesting he would bail out F&P when small business will get what they have had in the past, fuck all.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Fantastic (and I mean that most sincerely!) Euphoria is such a euphoric feeling. Thanks for posting the Greens score Mr Farrar – 7%. Contrasts interestingly with Acts 1.2%. Far more people favour the Green ‘prescription’ than want Act-style action and I’m not at all surprised.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
No, it’s not astonishing at all, really.
We are still in the Roadrunner cartoon phase. We’ve run off the cliff and are waiting for the plunge. Reef-fish being reef-fish understand neither that nor the simple fact that Key has thus far shown no understanding of the situation. I wouldn’t be surprised, given the appalling depth of ignorance that reef-fish display, whether they imagine in their confusion that Key is actually holding back the tide of calamity they see daily afflicting other nations. Such is the way of the reef-fish.
Wait till July.
Key, show us the
moneystrategy. Now. Some of us are starting to think you don’t get it.Ratbiter, you clearly don’t understand, like most lefties, the National support base in anyway whatsoever, if you really think that, that is, and are not just saying that for effect. How about some insight, now and then.
Grumpy, hear hear. No surprise is it he’s being pressed to release the ‘bailout criteria?’ Inexperience.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Greenfly – I like that! I think it bears repeating:
Green 7%
ACT 1.2%
‘Nuff said really!
February 18th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Reid- it must be hard for the intelligentsia such as yourself to watch the simple reef-fish wallow in their fallacies day after day.
How about some of your insight, then, instead of just moaning about my lack of any? Hmmm?
February 18th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
billyborker said “We need an MSM who aren’t afraid to ask the tough questions!”
You weren’t complaining for the last nine years billy! Suck it up pal, and get used to opposition
February 18th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Ratbiter said “Greenfly – I like that! I think it bears repeating:
Green 7%
ACT 1.2%
‘Nuff said really!”
Or – Greens – in the wilderness; Act – in government. Say no more!
February 18th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
The reef-fish, ratbiter, are ignorant, not simple. For reasons of their own they choose not to pay attention to things all of us here pay attention to. Every three years they arouse themselves for six weeks, screw up the country, and go back to sleep. Some of them are rocket scientists. They’re not simple, but they’re ignorant.
Unfortunately, they determine the govt. They are the reason why Churchill said Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried.
As for insights, who knows if mine are or not – I just say what I think. I have noticed however that your posts often contain simplistic conservative stereotypical parodies which don’t IMO add a whole hell of a lot to the collective understanding, which is a shame since you seem like such a bright chap.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Inventory – it’s a veritable triumph for democracy isn’t it?
Ruth – it’s a bit early in the term to talk about “going down in history” isn’t it?
February 18th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Key is partying like a rock star
He will go down in history as a much-loved Prime Minister.
A poke in the nose to all the doomsters and ‘Neville Key’ idiots.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
No Ratbiter – it’s a veritable triumph for common-sense – something that the Greens are lacking in spades.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Utterly predictable.
The polls that will count are those that occur from about 2 years time. By then it is likely that unemployment will be at 10%, there will be significant economic dislocation, many business failures and New Zealand will be in a a really depressed state. Kiwis will look back and remember Helen with affection and wonder exactly what was it that National had done to address the problem.
Do not worry about Phil’s poll ratings. Helen experienced the same thing. She was almost rolled but the Caucus decided not to. She then had a great 1996 campaign and the rest is history. There is no mood to do this to Phil even though David Cunliffe has performed really well and has severely dented Bill English’s mana recently.
Phil has been performing well. Just wait for the honeymoon to wear off and then make a judgment.
[DPF: The 1996 campaign is the one where Labour got its lowest vote in its history, right? ]
February 18th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
IMO John is shaping up to be the best Prime Minister NZ has had in the last 50 years, the second best being Kiwi Keith.
About concerns expressed at the ‘urgent’ legislation – it is a bit of a worry, but it was all stuff promised in National’s campaign and they seem to have been quite careful not to go too far. The EFA repeal was no more than a clock turn-back, and the employee probationary period was limited to very small employers which in a way defies logic – they might as well have hanged (or transported) for a sheep as for a lamb. There will be further legislation introduced that touches on these things, which would give some chance for select committee deliberation.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Yeh but mickey, if that happens, it’s because Key was handed a shit sandwich, not because he was particularly bad.
Face it, during Hulun’s reign, a chimp could have milked the golden times.
Fact is, Liarbore didn’t do anything except make themselves more electable by policies that weren’t for the common wealth but rather for the wealth of their own narrow interest groups.
Liarbore was the most venal administration ever and Hulun was the most venal PM ever.
Key may well suffer the fate you outline, but if he’d been PM during 1999-2008, he’d right now have positioned the country better and would go down in history as the indisputed greatest PM ever, rather than as Hulun will, a rather mixed bag. Emphasis on “bag.”
February 18th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I’m a bit confused by Ross Miller’s personal attacks, and not sure why he chooses to do so rather than counter what I said.
I’m not sure why I am of “failed National Party fame”. Are you referring to the National Party or me? If you’re referring to the National Party, I shudder to think what success looks like for them. If you’re referring to me, I’m not sure what you presume I have set out to achieve. Other than pay my sub the last three years, I’ve hardly been an active member.
As for being an ACT “outsider”… what makes you think I want to be on the “inside”?
Play the ball, not the man, my friend.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
mickysavage said “Do not worry about Phil’s poll ratings. Helen experienced the same thing. She was almost rolled but the Caucus decided not to. She then had a great 1996 campaign and the rest is history. There is no mood to do this to Phil even though David Cunliffe has performed really well and has severely dented Bill English’s mana recently.”
That’s as may be micky. But remember, in 1996, Clark had ONLY been inpolitics for 15 years – she was still a relatively “fresh” face. Goff has now been in politics for 24 of the last 27 years, and has only just got to the top of his party. He is yesterday’s man, plain and simple. He is keeping the seat warm for whichever of Cunners and Jones blots their copybook least between now and the end of next year.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Inventory2
From what I understand Jones will have a slight problem with the Immigration Service.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Toad said “This could be good news – the collapse of the Labour vote provides a chance for the Greens to rival Labour as the major Opposition party if they play their cards right!”
Just goes to show that drugs and polls don’t mix.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Correct Doug – as has Cunners – http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2009/01/more-grief-for-cunners.html – hence my comment to the effect that whichever’s copybook is blotted least – because both will be blotted; make no mistake!
February 18th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
“Far more people favour the Green ‘prescription’”
Its not surprising greenfly. Some of the green voters I know haven’t a clue what going on internationally. They cant lose their jobs because they’re on the dole and they think a stimulus package is the bonus ounce they will get from their dealer
Your voting base is the bottom of the barrel
February 18th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Ratbiter,
I think you’re one of the most intelligent socialists I’ve ever come across
So why are you a socialist?
February 18th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Labour know deep down know disunity is death. They will continue to ride this out and hope the tide turns before the party does any serious soul searching. But in reality there is just no point to the Labour Party, they know that. The only point to Labour is to provide a Government that thinks it knows best and boss the voters around and treat ‘em like school kids.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Toad – you don’t get a bigger mandate than campaigning on changes and then winning an election. When “new stuff” or “general” promises start being rammed through I will agree with you.
In any event this poll shows nothing except National’s desperate grab for power. It has shamelessly used populist and popular policies including increasing the minimum wage and protecting the most vulunerable at a time of recession, not for the good of the nation or its citizens but because all they want is power. As soon as the public see through this an unchanged and unrepetent Labour party will sweep back to its rightful place in power.
At least I think that’s what Jordon said!
February 18th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
[holds sides...] Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, enough already. [bangs table with hand...] Pass the beer nuts, [wipes tears from eyes] this guy’s killing me. Say, when’s his next show?
February 18th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
The Greens have always polled a lot higher than the percentage they actually win on election days. Hell I saw some polls predict 10% right before the election, we all know how that turned out. It’s also worth noting that ACT did better than any polls predicted.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OUTSTANDING!
Rogue poll???
The left is DEAD
February 18th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
It would be interesting to see a closer analysis of the data.
It appears that most NZ First have switched to National for obvious reasons which would have been expected, a lot ACT voters too as they don’t see much point supporting ACT between elections.
But I suspect that the vast majority of Labour supporters to switch would have been women, those that just supported Clark just because she was a woman. I predicted this before the election, it just shows that Labour actually had a much greater problem than their pre-election poll ratings and results reflected. Maybe 15-20% of NZ women have swung from Labour to National. I will be very curious to see other polls particularly TVNZ’s
February 18th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Patrick, most of the Green voters I know don’t know what they voted for. They thought it was a good thing to do because of their concern for the environment. When pressed many of them couldn’t name Green MPs or Green policy. I got the distinct impression that their vote was a conscience assuaging exercise. Anyhow, you have to give it to the watermelons – they marketed their skin and hid their rancid core quite well.
February 18th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Toad
“This could be good news – the collapse of the Labour vote provides a chance for the Greens to rival Labour as the major Opposition party if they play their cards right!”
Key is a poker player.
You Greens are still struggling with snap.
February 18th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Buggered if I know how to feel about this poll result. Yes I am happy that the Nat’s have such a huge margin over Labour but given that the Nat’s are not much more than Labour lite I am somewhat concerned.
I guess more Kiwi’s are closet pinko’s than they care to admit.
Oh, and Ruth…Bite me, he is still Neville Key in my book, the minute he starts acting like a true tory I will be the first to admit I was wrong but until then he remains firrmly in the Neville camp.
February 18th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
“This could be good news – the collapse of the Labour vote provides a chance for the Greens to rival Labour as the major Opposition party if they play their cards right!”
Toad could actually be right. Theres always going to be some uniformed people who vote green just because they think theyre helping the environment. Toad makes no mention of them getting more than 7% he could be suggesting Labour falls to Phil In’s personal rating.
Thatd leave about 20% for ACT voters to pick up but as theyd be supporting the government rather than opposing them the Greens on 7% could be the major opposition party.
February 18th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Nah.
The Greens will get nowhere near Labour. They’re too extreme, and their “leadership” is so unpopular they can’t even come close to placing third in their own electorate seats.
They’ll be lucky to stay over the 5% threshold on this polling.
February 18th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
The Green support is simply a result of the global wave of environmental paranoia which is being promoted by interests who ironically have quite different end-games to their own naive maple-pole fantasies. Just look at who’s pushing it – it ain’t the Greens…
Ironically they’re onto a good thing, because environmental technologies are going to be one of the few growth industries in the next 5 years.
Their support however is a mirage because of their politics but of course they don’t see it like that. Green economics = anaethema to most people older than 5.
Once other parties take over their environmental positions, the Greens will once again be consigned to laughable oblivian.
Speaking of which, Nick Smith hasn’t yet made much impact. Wot’s happening, Nick?
February 18th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
“Speaking of which, Nick Smith hasn’t yet made much impact.”
A dangerous fuckwit who needs to find a new career.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:15 am
Wiki –
I like your style too but we are going to have to get past this “anyone who votes even slightly left is a SOCIALIST” thing if we are going to ever discuss much.
I’ve been around enough to see that most of the competent, motivated people are out there doing what they can to make as much money as they can, to look after their near and dear and their own personal aspirations. While I trust most people’s ability to apply a basic human sense of right & wrong, to most simple day-to-day transactions, I think it’s important that a country has a good framework of rules and boundaries to keep it that way and to try to keep larger-scale injustices from happening. If that makes me a socialist, well, anyone who’s ever demanded that murderers be locked up is probably a socialist.
The last 50 to 100 years of safe, comfortable egalitarian society that we have just had is just too rare and precious to treat with disdain or take for granted. You only have to look at Hitler or Milosevic or Mugabe or any account of the dark ages to see how tenuous this veneer of civilisation can be, and how a few bad bastards will happily fuck over everyone else in sight.. So I think that any time we see people who want to enslave or marginalise or disenfranchise other people who might be a different race or sexuality or whatever, then damn right the fair-minded people should enact a law against it. Freedom of expression is no justification for you to take from someone else, for no other reason, the freedoms you yourself enjoy. We are smart enough as human beings to recognise specific wrongs like this for what they are, and take a stand against them – it doesn’t necessarily have to be a slippery slope towards dictatorship as the ultra-libertarians shrilly insist. So damn right there should be thought police, if we are talking about the kinds of thoughts that are a direct and unfair assault on someone else.
If this makes me a socialist, then your mum was a socialist if she told you not to whack your brother because you wouldn’t like it if he whacked you!
February 19th, 2009 at 1:29 am
“So damn right there should be thought police,”
Another damn dangerous Stalinist POS. Emigrate to Cuba lowlife.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Toad
I hope (for their sake and that of the country) this poll result does not encourage them to continue the authoritarian and non-consultative approach to legislation .
Thats a bit rich, coming from the only party to still support the EFA. ‘Authoritarian and non-consultative’ is a perfect description of the Green Party approach to electoral law.
Hope you enjoy the wilderness, because I think you’ll be in it for a long long time.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:52 am
I think toad may be right: if current trends continue, the greens could rival labour as the main opposition party. As in them both polling 7%.
February 19th, 2009 at 2:46 am
The Greens, so deluded with their 7% in opposition compared to ACT who are in Govt and actually doing something.
Do I need to bring up Catherine Delahunty again??
February 19th, 2009 at 2:46 am
A well deserved spanking given to Labour and it’s all Helen Clark’s fault.
Has she got some spare lemons to suck on or did she use them all up on 8 November 2008?
February 19th, 2009 at 7:08 am
Nick Smith will get his moment in the sun with the introduction of the legislation to reform the RMA today.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Goff, Clark, Cunliffe or Hughes, it does not really matter, Matthew Hooten was right when he said that the next Labour party PM is not yet a member of Parliament.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Blair M … you are quite happy to get “personal” with John Key and in numerous threads you have referred to him in derogatory terms. So don’t get ‘sniffy’ when I respond in kind.
Remind me. It was you wasn’t it who said he was campaigning hard to get Wang into back into Parliament and that he was sure to roll Pansy Wong. The result ………….
So you pay a membership fee to National and actively campaign for ACT. Hmmmmmmmmmm
ACT is part of the Government and Rodney has been hugely supportive on John Key and good on him. National is implementing the terms of the coalition agreement. I suspect that many of us in National are sympathetic to some of ACT’s policies (for me its Three Strikes) but carping criticism from the fringe of ACT does nothing to improve relationships.
As I said previously … ACT is much much much better than that.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:36 am
The opposition benches suits Labour. They can do less harm from there.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:11 am
I agree with Matthew Hooten about the next Labour PM NOT yet being a member of parliament. Andrew Little might do it for Labour but Cunliffe will not. That man just oozes arrogance, with that curled lip and lofty attitude. Looking like a 3 term opposition to me mainly because Little will be deemed too inexperienced to become PM within a short period of being an MP – UNLESS he gets in during this parliament.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Well I came over DPFs for my morning reading but this deafening high pitched waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa from the left is making it sound like a hydro station on full production.
Damn been a while since I heard that noise…. not since we had a National goverment at least.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:20 am
George W Bush’s rating were similar to John Key’s after he was re-elected in 2004. How things can change. A few months will tell a different story. Don’t get too excited all you Nat supporters who think John Key is going to make you rich.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Will, you do have to give some sympathy to Goff in that it is his job to attack a party that 60% of the public support, and to attack a man with 54% approval as PM.
Well, only a little sympathy……….
Can you say “Schadenfruede”?……….I thought you could.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:27 am
“Rodney has been hugely supportive on John Key and good on him.”
Heh, that’s because he’s got Roger to do all the slagging off for him.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Ratbiter – I agree. I also think the largest-scale and most inhumane injustice is to see NZers drugged on notion that “If I don’t or won’t then the state will for me”. Human potential is tragically wasted when such an environment exists. We need an environment where NZers are applauded for their hard work, their measured risk appetite and their desire to better the lot of themselves, their family and their community.
People who snooze in the hammock of state support need to be shaken awake, and this will not be comfortable for them. That’s not a lack of compassion, it’s a belief that the least compassionate response is to allow untapped human potential to be suppressed by state dependence.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:49 am
getstaffed (2862) Vote: 15 0 Says:
February 18th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
“Patrick, most of the Green voters I know don’t know what they voted for. They thought it was a good thing to do because of their concern for the environment. When pressed many of them couldn’t name Green MPs or Green policy. I got the distinct impression that their vote was a conscience assuaging exercise. Anyhow, you have to give it to the watermelons – they marketed their skin and hid their rancid core quite well.”
GetStaffed, if the “Right” got its act together now, what with Green forestry non-management policies setting up mass deaths in bushfires and Green anti-development policies setting up economically destructive housing price bubbles; on top of Green bans on DDT resulting in tens of millions of deaths from malaria, and Green biofuels policies driving up the price of essential foods for the world’s poorest and starving a few more million to death………in a just world, the Greens would be electoral POISON.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:08 am
DPF said: “TV3 have never ever had a party so high before”
Oh really? What about the Greens?
(Ok, marijuana joke is over now)
February 19th, 2009 at 10:11 am
The standard seem to be taking a very low key line to this………..
February 19th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Well I think those polls are on the mark as a reflection of how well Key and National are doing so far. The crying from the lefties is to be expected from idealogues who can’t be objective. Even if National did everything right there would still be jeers and derision from the standardistas and watermelons. Fortunately they only count for the votes they can influence, and that is dwindling day by day as more kiwis realise how good it is to have a government that is focused on getting NZ healthy again rather than power at any cost and ruining the economy so the next government has a crap job to do.
NZ has spoken, and made the creepy lefties irrelevant, and you can tell by their cries that they haven’t got a clue what to do
February 19th, 2009 at 10:32 am
PhilBest said: …on top of Green bans on DDT resulting in tens of millions of deaths from malaria…
Shit, Phil, are you really advocating bringing back DDT? Aside from its toxicity, in case you hadn’t noticed, the mosquitos developed a resistance to it.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Ya damn right it could be good news! Just like New Zealand First, United Future, an’ ACT rivalled National as the major opposition party in 2002. Great days for the right, they were.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Topbrick “Don’t get too excited all you Nat supporters who think John Key is going to make you rich.”
This just shows what an idiot you are.
We will actually be happy if Key manages to make us survive.
The alternative, which thankfully got thrown on their collective arses last year, was for us to sink even further in a quagmire of socialism.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:50 am
The Standards take on this:
>burt
>February 18, 2009 at 8:03 pm
>But the polls tell us the people are loving it.
>IrishBill: removed: nobody likes a linkwhore, burt.
>vto
>February 18, 2009 at 8:16 pm
>Irishbill, re Burts link, you guys are funny the way you are so selective. No doubt it would have been left up if it had >shown Labour on a record 64% rather than National on a record 64% and Labour at 27%.
>Oh well, its your house.
>IrishBill: yep, it is my house.
>[lprent: besides it was a stupid link whore - worthy of someone like the unlamented Rob (not r0b)]
My comments on their censorship policies didn’t pass moderation suprisingly.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Toad,
you had better write a letter to Nelson Mandela telling him the truth about DDT.
He is obviously misguided and needs some advice from a western expert.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:07 am
If they want to hit 70% bring back the Knighthoods under our own management of course.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Toad – what do you mean bring it back? It never went away and is still in use, and is one of the most effective anti-Malaria tools around. See this speech from Billy G
February 19th, 2009 at 11:12 am
This poll speaks volumes about the legacy of Helen Clark.
It also dispels the myth that is Helen Clark. The vast majority of people at best tolerated her.
Consider this – George Bush left office with a 30% approval rating & is frequently referred as one of the last popular US Presidents. I submit that Helen Clark left office with a similar level of popularity. Yet the media seem to get all misty-eyed over her.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Key isn’t going to make me rich, but he’ll give me a chance to do it for myself where Clark and Cullen would punsih me for any success I may have.
THATS the difference between conservatives and “liberals”.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:40 am
That’s right. And the poll that identified her as NZ’s greatest living asset, or whatever it was, was rigged by the VLWC.
National supporters have every right to be pleased with this result. Key’s enjoying a prolonged honeymoon and hasn’t proved as weak as many, myself included, thought. There’s tough times ahead. I’ve no desire to see the government or the economy fail and hope he continues to plot a centrist path. That said, the media are hoplessly fickle and this result could easily change.
[DPF: Paul I hope you are not comparing a scientific random poll with an Internet based reader demand poll]
February 19th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Dear Mr/Ms Topbrick,
welcome to Kiwiblog, I can tell you are an intelligent person by the indepth – deep thinking comment you posted.
I really don’t think Mr Key has the time to make me rich, wish he did though, that would save me the very hard work I do to make myself rich.
I do thank him for trying to create a climate whereby all NZ’rs (including you if you work hard Mr/Ms Topbrick) can better themselves and take responsibily for their actions, and assisting NZ’rs to become independant as opposed to dependant
(being a dependant must be such a soul destroying state).
All this in the face of an international financial crises, Mr Key is really something special wouldn’t you agree Mr/Ms Topbrick ( or whatever persona you don with your next post)
February 19th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I like those numbers, Key is doing well, because he is getting policies past, which he was voted into do, he isnt wasting time consulting lilttle pressure groups, and he is working well with other parties.
February 19th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
With such approval ratings, the ObamaMessiah should bow down to John Key.
But our honest and competent PM should say no.
He does not want to be associated with a corrupt, socialist presidency, one whose policies are increasingly unpopular and will damage the US economy.
There’s more on this at No Minister.
February 19th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Didn’t Dubya once poll at 90% approval?
There’s a lot of water to flow under the bridge yet before the next poll that counts.
February 19th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
“Didn’t Dubya once poll at 90% approval?”
That’s President Bush to you Toad.
And yes, he did rate that highly, 90% is something that Hussein Messiah Obama will never experience, indeed if you listen carefully you can hear the Obama bubble bursting already.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
OMG!!! We’ve been so blind, Bush and Key both poll high, they are clearly the SAME PERSON!!!!
Jesus fucking Christ you really took your shit for bains pills this morning didn’t you toad.
Why don’t you just go and play in the sand pit with the other “special” kids toad, the grown ups are talking.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
IMHO Key and the Nats ratings will remain very high they are demonstrating the differnce between good and bad governance. the Nats will show a firm but fair had in dealing with the result of the bad governance of the past Think Corrections,
there are many more governemnt departments that will come under scrutiny and be found very wanting. All have weak CEOs and senior management who just toaded up to Clark Cullen and didnt act effectively and efficently in opposing their dumbarse waste policies.
The average punter will continue to view the Nats as the fixers of the last 9 years cockup and accept the hard times are necessary to recover from the mess thet Socilaists created.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Posted under ‘Humour’ – Murray said: ‘Jesus fucking Christ you really took your shit for bains pills this morning’ then, hilariously, added, ‘..the grown ups are talking..’ That Murray! What a wag!
February 19th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Perhaps I was… perhaps however it’s better to compare the scientific poll to the triennial electoral ones, three of which Helen won.
[DPF: Are they like those quadrennial polls that George W won a couple of?
]
February 19th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
>>Consider this – George Bush left office with a 30% approval rating & is frequently referred as one of the last popular US Presidents. I submit that Helen Clark left office with a similar level of popularity. Yet the media seem to get all misty-eyed over her.
To be fair, that same question isn’t asked here. You can’t really compare apples and oranges.
But you are probably about right
February 19th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
The least popular US President to leave office in the modern era was obviously Nixon but Truman was a close 2nd with George W marginally below Jimmy Carter. History has been much kinder to Truman (Korean War deemed to have been the right but unpopular thing to do in hindsight) vs Carter (left with Iran hostage debacle and stagflation nightmare around his neck).
Obama at 69% is actually below George HW Bush, Reagan, George W Bush and Clinton at the same point in their Presidencies. His honeymoon, whilst still going, has not been as large as many expected. When the Porkulus Act fails to spark the economy, watch Obama and the Dems drop like a rock.
National will not be able to maintain these stratospheric heights but they are likely to maintain sizable double digit leads over Labour for some time. There will be a winter of discontent – the looming clouds are too big and dark to not effect public sentiment. When Moore was defeated in 1990, he took it on the chin and embarked on an extensive “Labour Listens” campaign inside and outside the party. Whilst it had a certain PR aspect about it, it actually unearthed a ton of excellent internal feedback as to why Labour lost so badly. I see no such effort underway this time around.
February 19th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
KIA
“When the Porkulus Act fails to spark the economy, watch Obama and the Dems drop like a rock”
Yep, I agree, however we both know that Messiah Obama and the Dems still have an ace they can play which will send most critics running for the hills.
When all else fails (and it will) watch the bastards play the race card.
February 19th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
They are indeed, though Helen needn’t need the courts to get her over the line!
February 19th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
a pox on both their houses..
http://whoar.co.nz/2009/comment-whoarjudith-collins-does-macbethand-john-keyinaction-man/
phil(whoar.co.nz)
February 19th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
toad (723) Vote: 0 6 Says:
February 19th, 2009 at 10:32 am
“PhilBest said: …on top of Green bans on DDT resulting in tens of millions of deaths from malaria…
Shit, Phil, are you really advocating bringing back DDT? Aside from its toxicity, in case you hadn’t noticed, the mosquitos developed a resistance to it.”
What a fantastic argument; we knew the tens of millions of people were going to die anyway because the mosquitos had developed a resistance to DDT, so we banned DDT so we would never know for sure how ineffective it would have been.
Sheeee-it, Getstaffed sure knew what he was talking about when he said people don’t really know what they are actually voting for when they vote Green; even Toad doesn’t really know.
Toad, have you ever actually read the essays on Patrick Moore’s “Greenspirit” site; he was one of the founders of Greenpeace and he actually still cares about the environment, in contrast to what he says the Green movement has become. I also recommend “The Skeptical Environmentalist” by Bjorn Lomborg; the Green movement should have crawled away into a hole and either died or reinvented itself, after that book was published. But the soft totalitarianism that is political correctness self-censorship by our media and education system, ensure that nobody will be exposed to unpalatable truths like that book contains.
February 19th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
KiwiInAmerica, as Fairfacts Media pointed out, “No, Minister” has been doing some good postings on the disillusionment setting in re Obama.
I am not affiliated, so this is not link-whoring, I genuinely recommend it:
http://nominister.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-messiah-should-bow-down-before-our.html
The conclusion that Americans had no idea what they were voting for, is the only explanation. I mean, the President that the majority of Americans say in polls that they most want Obama to model himself on:
Ronald Reagan….. ??????????????????????????????????????
Eh????????????????????????????????
February 19th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Paul
“They are indeed, though Helen needn’t need the courts to get her over the line!”
No, but only because she changed the law to make her illegal acts legal.
You are on very thin ground here, the bilious B***h stole the 05 election and you well know it.
February 19th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
big bruv said: You are on very thin ground here, the bilious B***h stole the 05 election and you well know it.
I actually think Labour’s abuse of Parliamentary Service funding and National’s proxy advertising from the EB and overspend on their broadcasting allocation by ignoring the FST component probably cancelled each other out bruv.
Brash tried to steal the 05 election too – problem was that Clark was more clever about doing it and didn’t get sprung until after the event.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Toad
Cut me a bit of slack mate, its not only the Greens who are allowed to be hypocritical on the odd occasion.
Having said that, Brash did not break the law, dear EX leader did.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Three wishes:
1. David Cunnilingus to become leader of Labour.
2. John Key to trounce David Cunnilingus at the next election.
3. Bill English to respond to David Cunnilingus’ first question after the 2011 election: “We won, you lost, eat that!”
February 19th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
emmess: “George Bush left office with a 30% approval rating & is frequently referred as one of the last popular US Presidents. I submit that Helen Clark left office with a similar level of popularity. Yet the media seem to get all misty-eyed over her.”
Sorry, but I simply can’t allow you to compare GWH Bush with Helen Clark.
One used the forces of the state to win an election in which they had broken the rules; lied about their country’s involvement in Iraq; sought to impose a warped personal ideology on their country; had a spouse who sometimes had be be escorted from airport terminals by airport security; and oversaw the destruction of their country’s economy as they attempted to bankroll their supporters.
The other is the son of a former President.
February 20th, 2009 at 12:01 am
Duxton, I vary really laugh, your comment made me piss myself. Thanks Mate.
February 20th, 2009 at 12:37 am
^ too right…. Very good Duxton.
Bill English would never say that… in fact National has been very humble in their victory. This is in total contrast to Michael Cullen & Jim freaken Anderton’s mocking & sneering when they were in power.
But I’m pleased the Nats are being humble… because they’s why we like them.
On another note… isn’t Lockwood Smith making a complete mockery of that god awful Margaret Wilson.
February 20th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Margaret Wilson is a disgrace to the Office of the SpeaKer
February 20th, 2009 at 6:49 am
“Margaret Wilson is a disgrace to the Office of the SpeaKer”
We are now talking past tense, Frank.
She WAS a disgrace. WAS, WAS, WAS.
Long may she remain WAS.
February 20th, 2009 at 8:20 am
big bruv said: Having said that, Brash did not break the law, dear EX leader did.
So when did not paying over $100,000 in GST that you are liable for become legal bruv? I suspect that in these tough economic times there will be lots of businesses that would like that option to help them get by.
February 20th, 2009 at 10:03 am
The word ‘was’ never sounded so sweet.
Toad – are you a political novice or something i.e someone who has just started following politics.
From memory the way the election broadcasting law was worded – National would’ve broken the law if they had paid the $100K bill. That was the problem – National couldn’t pay the bill without breaking the law. That’s why a ‘work around’ was devised where the money outstanding was donated to cover the cost of advertisements TV3 usually pays for i.e. cancer society etc.
Now you could say I’m dancing on the head of a pin, but techically they did not break the law.
However National, like Labour, did break electoral law by using tax payers money for electioneering.
National misappropriated ~$10k and paid it back without delay.
Labour misappropriated ~$880K with much of it from the leaders fund and fought tooth and nail to not pay it back.
In my opinion all parties who broke electoral law should’ve been charged by the police.
Feel free to challenge my history lesson Toad – but I not going to let you (the left) rewrite history.
Labour and the Green’s appalling behaviour during the 2005 campaign should not to be forgotten. And that includes Winston’s shenanigans.