Split within Labour on internal polling operation
The HoS reports:
The Labour leadership is embroiled in a murky polling operation run by a senior MP who has instructed volunteers to deliberately deceive people about their identities and the reason for their calls.
The polls were being run from Parliamentary offices by former Cabinet minister Rick Barker, who has admitted instructing staff to use false names and claim they were calling from a company that no longer exists. …
Details of the polling emerged after a volunteer involved approached the Herald on Sunday claiming the practice was “unethical”.
The volunteer, who is a Green Party member, said it was run by Barker and, when the volunteer participated, took place in Barker’s office at Parliament on October 14.
The volunteer said Barker instructed all the helpers, including a Parliamentary staffer, to say they worked for a non-existent company called “Data Research”, and to not disclose that they were really working for the Labour Party.
A search at the companies office for the former Data Research finds the company, when registered, had two directors – a Robert Bateman Allen and a Trevor Colin Mallard. Now nothing wrong with that – in fact the problem arguably is that they did not keep the company registered, while using its name.
Labour Party president Andrew Little last night said all polling was out of Phil Goff’s Leader’s Budget. Little said he knew nothing about the operation. “It would concern me very deeply,” he said.
This surprises me. In no way doubting Andrew’s word that he knew nothing – just surprised that the parliamentary wing would keep their polling operation secret from the President.
Barker, when questioned, initially said: “I don’t know what you’re talking about”. When provided with details, including dates, Barker said he would call back.
Two hours later, Barker rang and admitted he had encouraged the use of false names by callers.
Wow, Barker lied to the media. That gives him a real credibility problem. I doubt it was a memory problem, as the phoning took place just ten days ago.
Labour whip Darren Hughes, who sits on the party’s leadership council, said he was aware of the polling. He said Barker had spearheaded three polls.
But Hughes defended the use of false names and for callers to not identify that they were representing the Labour Party.
“The name of Data Research was used to get as close to a scientific result as you could, to not influence results because of the way that people feel about a particular party.”
What a mess. The party president says he knows nothing about is, and is deeply concerned. Rick Barker lies, saying he knows nothing about it, until flushed out. And Darren says it is all okay.
Now I will back Darren up on one point. If a party is conducting a poll themselves, they don’t want to use their own party’s name because it does influence the responses, and you do want it scientific.
However as I said, the preferable way to deal with this is to have an actual company registered like Data Access, so you can legally say you are polling on behalf of that company.
He said the use of false names in polling was common: “I’m sure that half the people try to sell us things on telemarketing aren’t giving us their real names.”
Here I disagree. Of course callers should use their real names. They don’t have to give out their surname and home address, but why wouldn’t they use their real first names?
A spokesman for Goff said the leader of the opposition was not available to answer questions, but he had consulted members of the leadership council and been told the method of polling carried out by Barker was a mistake. “It won’t happen again.”
So the President knew nothing, the MP whose office was used lied about it, the whip defended it and the leader said it was a mistake and won’t happen again!
I think Labour need to work on their internal communications and messaging!
Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff said the details of Barker’s polling operation raised serious questions and could breach the Privacy Act.
I imagine Commissioner Shroff’s concerns would be over what happens to the individual responses. Does Labour destroy the individual responses once they have summarised the results, or do they enter in the responses against their electoral roll database to assist with voter targeting? If they do undertake the latter, that would be a very serious breach of the Privacy Act.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Labour look Nixonian. Again.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:37 am
And this lovely little story just goes to show what a total mess Labour are in.
Is it not time for them to pack up all their toys, go away, strip their party of all the old wood totaly and come back looking fresh again…… Maybe sometime in 2056.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:38 am
This is a very boring scandal. Apart from Barker lying to the media, not much to see.. move along folk…
October 25th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Now I will back Darren up on one point. If a party is conducting a poll themselves, they don’t want to use their own party’s name because it does influence the responses, and you do want it scientific.
However as I said, the preferable way to deal with this is to have an actual company registered like Data Access, so you can legally say you are polling on behalf of that company.
Or you could reveal who they are polling on behalf of after the poll has been completed.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:46 am
‘This surprises me. In no way doubting Andrew’s word that he knew nothing – just surprised that the parliamentary wing would keep their polling operation secret from the President.’
No surpise there. The temporary leader won’t want to share his dirty little secrets with his replacment.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Labour caught lying again.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…LALCS.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Where does Trevor Mallard stand on this?
I only ask, because he was a director of “Data Research” back when it was incorporated.
Did Mallard know of this fake polling by his former company?
October 25th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Is this a different outfit from “Focus Communications”?
October 25th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Shit I love the left, they’re the gift that keeps on giving. Just when you think they can’t sink any lower they come out with another juicy scandal , ah such depravity, marvelous, made my weekend. I bet Carter is breathing a sigh of relief, someone else’s turn to to be piggy in the middle, please Liarbore keep it up, you add joy to my life.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Here’s the money quote:
“”The name of Data Research was used to get as close to a scientific result as you could, to not influence results because of the way that people feel about a particular party.”
Because if they said they were from the Labour Party the results would have reflected what the public really thinks of this pack of corrupt liars: 6% or thereabouts.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Tell one lie and then tell another, finally they are all telling lies. There is a cancer of blatant dishonesty at the heart of the Labour Party. And I think the public now gets it.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Labour is doing it all wrong. I think Labour has done so much damage to this country and to families that they have to get rid of the old wood like Annette King, Goff, etc. The public voted for change and these are the same as what was before. Listening to Annette King being on the opposite side of the fence now is comical. Suddenly she is suppose to care what the public says. She didn’t before. She had a lust for power. Now Labour caught in another lie… love to see them drop below 20 percent.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Don’t see the problem. Hell I would not want to tell people I work/support the Liarbour party !!
October 25th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Wreck1080>This is a very boring scandal. Apart from Barker lying to the media, not much to see.. move along folk…
I’m surprised that they’re running this dodgy secret operation from parliament. I suppose we were paying the telecom cost of the poll.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Ya know just after the last election many political commentators said that although Labour had lost the election they would make a killer opposition facing National.
Here we are almost a year later. National is way ahead in the polls despite a recession, unemployment and necessary spending cuts, Labour is even less popular now than on election night and Labour is once again caught up in a scandal involving some of their senior leadership and cutting to the heart of the party. And it was exposed by a Green party member, not muck raking by National.
Hmmmm…um..Phil you don’t think there’s something going very wrong do you?
October 25th, 2009 at 10:56 am
“The volunteer, who is a Green Party member,”
Strange.
Infiltrate and destroy from within?
’tain’t the Labour Party we should be questioning re this story.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:56 am
So every time Labour mentions Crosby Textor can National supporters ask about Allen Mallard?
October 25th, 2009 at 10:57 am
@MT_Tinman When you know that they’re never going to go against you, you can keep them quite safely as pets.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:00 am
‘@MT_Tinman When you know that they’re never going to go against you, you can keep them quite safely as pets.’
Except for SueB of course.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Is this one of those ‘rogue polls’ that Labour spinners keep refering to?
October 25th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
not much to see.. move along folk…
..I told ya they would say that..oohh..imagine if the boot was on the other foot and Nats had been doin it…liarbour would be goin for the jugular..whore..where art thou..massive silence I hear..mickey savage ??
October 25th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I can imagine the receiving one of these calls….
Hi, my name is [insert random name here] and I’m calling to offer you a free KFC voucher if you vote for Taito Field… Ooops, wrong script… one moment…. Hi, my name is [insert random name here] and I’m calling to see if you have been out to vote for Labour yet… Ooops… sorry wrong script again… one moment. Ah yes this one…
Hi my name is [insert random name here] and I’m calling to see if I can trick you into agreeing that Labour are credible and honest, for just $39.95 you can get a Labour flag and a set of steak knives….
October 25th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
My favorite line to Labour polsters in the street or on the phone is “when Hell freezes over I will vote Labour” – normally keeps them quiet for a few seconds.
October 25th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
I’ve Been Thinking, well reading more like it.
Gauntlet is a new magazine (www.gauntlet.co.nz) and I received my first subscription yesterday. Richard Prebble has written an article “Why Labour Can Win”.
In it he says this: “Goff is no antipodean Obama either, few indeed would cross the road to hear him speak. Meanwhile the party scatches out a subsistence living on state funding diverted from parliament. Labour just does not have the membership, policy or money to fight an effective election campaign.”
As usual, Prebble is right on the button as evidenced by this rort at the hands of Goff, Barker and Hughes.
October 25th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
The other problem that Labour has, that I’ve tried hard not to tease them about, is that they are beholden to the unions for diverted membership taxes (I mean funds) and as such have to tow the idiot views of the union hardline that are generally diametrically opposed to making any kind of step change in policy direction thus consigning Labour to a political evolutionary dead-end alongside the Greens.
October 25th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Gooner, he left out ‘people.’
October 25th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
So, is this what Young Labour members do in their spare time – man the phones…..and incidentally anyone else noticed that Nippert is getting a few stories from Green Party sources lately..
October 25th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Swiftman the infidel said “LALCS”. Does anyone know what this means? I’m not trying to be obtuse- I just cannot work it out. Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils & Los Angeles Learning Centers are the only acronyms that I have found, and neither makes any sense in this context.
October 25th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
On another note, I always talk to Labour Party canvassers; my record was last year for one hour and three minutes. As the pair left the house they asked if they could count on my vote and I said, to my shame, that I would seriously consider it. They even spent money on election day to phone up and ask me if I needed help to get to the polls- although my mother spoilt it all by telling them that I was a National Party party agent at another station.
I sent in 27 of that nice Mr Goff’s postcards telling him how nice he was, just so that he didn’t have any of his parliamentary budget left over with which to mislead others.
I know, it is petty of me, but dammit, it is fun!
October 25th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Grant 4:26pm: LALCS= Labour Are Liars Caught Stealing…
October 25th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
I sense we are at the beginning of bloody cultural wars breaking out in the Labour Party. It could not come too soon. When they do and tensions rise within the Greens…. and those two parties are out of Government for 20 years.
October 25th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I do hope any Parliamentary Services resources used in this horrid little exercise are returned with interest.
October 25th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I’ll tell you what .. I went to the letter box at 7am and about 705 I turned over to page 2 and couldn’t believe my eyes .. i got an instant hard on .. thanks Rick, thanks Little Red Rooster and best of all thanks Andrew “the new Teflon” Little .. yehaaa
I would suggest that Bill English will hope Trev calls out “pay back the money” or some other attempted insult.
If I was Bill, I would be in Dipton (or maybe Wgtn) jotting down any number of retorts .. the obvious one would be to call Trev, and indeed all labour MP’s by a different name .. bring on the next question time in da house.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
I cannot believe the amount of whining over something so minor.
I detest labour as much as the next person, yet this seems so ridiculously blown out of proportion.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
I hate people comparing our politicians (of any party) with depots like Hitler, Mussolini etc .. over the past year or so, i have noticed Andrew Little is quick to be the cheer leader for the workers and be the true lefty of the labour Party to set himself up for a leadership challenge but he is reminding me more and more of Sargent Schultz .. “I see nothing, I hear nothing I know nothing”.
October 26th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Might be a small point, but is it right for this type of party-political activity to be funded from parliamentary budget? If it is party-specific rather than the business of running the country (or opposing the effective running of the country, which is the business Liarbore are in these days) should it not come from party funds, rather than parliamentary funds? If that’s the case, does that make this another rort to add to the growing list?
October 26th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Where are the howls over labour stealing 800k and changing the law to make it legal. NZ first haven’t even paid it back at all.
That , is my criteria of a major scandal.
I still believe national should change the law right back to how it was, thus requiring a police investigation and possible prosecutions.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Nothing wrong with doing polling via an actual company as DPF says. What this incident tells me is that you need to vet your volunteers. Also the sanctimonious, smugness of the Greens is alive and well – akin to a fundamentalist religious group. Couldn’t see ACT telling on National or vice versa.
October 27th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Who really cares what’s happening with Labour at the moment? Their polling is so low i wouldn’t be surprised if they leaked this whole story to the media in a vain attempt to lift their profile.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:21 am
see i was right, this issue fizzed.even national mp’s don’t really care.