Green voters say Greens should accept a coalition with National
October 4th, 2011 at 9:00 am by David FarrarDuncan Garner reports:
We asked voters that if John Key opened the door to a formal coalition deal with the Greens – should the Greens say yes.
- 55 percent said yes
- 30 percent said no
But a breakdown of the votes into a party-by-party basis tells a different story.
Amongst Green voters:
- 60 percent said yes
- 27 percent no
Amongst National voters:
- 63 percent said yes
- 25 percent said no
This shows remarkable support for a formal deal – from both National and Green voters.
So both National and Green voters say by at least 2:1 that the Greens should accept a coalition deal if John Key offers one. That will give the Greens food for thought.
If a Labour-led Government is viable, I have no doubt the Greens will put Labour into power in preference to National.
But if, as looks likely, National is the only viable Government for the next three or longer years, then what do the Greens do? Do they continue with their discrete policy co-operation agreement, or if the PM offers something better do they accept it?
What if Key offered Norman and Turei portfolios, in return for the Greens abstaining on confidence and supply? Not voting for the Government, but not voting against it on the twice a year confidence and supply votes. On all other votes they can vote against. Would that be a price worth paying for Norman to be Minister of Public Transport and Kevin Hague to be Minister of Public Health?
Of course, whether Key would make such an offer is quite another matter. However it is in his nature to work with people rather than against people. He has already said he will do coalition agreements with United Future, ACT and the Maori Party, even if he has an absolute majority. So will he offer the Greens something beyond what he did in 2008?
Related posts:
- A Labour-Green coalition
- National candidates picking up Green voters
- Delahunty threatens to quit if Greens becomes Ministers with National
- Espiner says no chance of Maori-National coalition
October 4th, 2011 at 9:10 am
While there is much about the Green Party that I despise, particularly their ultra liberal social policy and their insane foreign and defense policies, much of the actual environmental content I have no real problem with, in fact I would agree strongly with the core values. Some of it just needs tweaking. I hope the leadership of the GP is taking notice of this. A formal coalition with National would be a good thing, so long as it was balanced by another party to the right of the Nats.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:12 am
No no no no!!! Until they can stop their obsession with other peoples money and how they live their own lives……no!!!!
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:16 am
If the Greens know what is good for them, they will not have a bar of it. And God forbid that a National lead government would offer portfolios to Norman and Turei.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:17 am
Reason #35 not to vote National?
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:27 am
Doesn’t National have some sort of informal thing with the Greens already?
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:31 am
Fuck that!
I would rather have another Labour/Green government than have the Nat’s get into bed with the dirty stinking Greens.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:36 am
How much do we know about the green party list beyond who is already in parliament?
They will bring in a few more, presumably their character would determine how workable any agreement would be.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:36 am
I hope it doesn’t come to pass.
The thought of the ever sanctimonious Greens, the backward-looking Luddites, the socialists disguised as environmentalists, near to the levers of power is too painful to contemplate. Leaving the country could be an alternative.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:44 am
@Manolo 9:36 am
I’ve always opposed the Greens doing any deal with the Nats beyond the current issue by issue one, Manolo, but that statement from you gives me cause to reconsider. At least for a moment.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:54 am
Inclusive politics or another boot to the head of socialism?
Vote:As a good manager you try to foster buy in to your vision. DK is a good manager. Having the greens on board a right wing government yet tempering their propensity for spending OPM would be the final nail in the coffin for labour.
October 4th, 2011 at 9:58 am
Another good reason to vote ACT. More ACT votes would stiffen up the right of National. Something that has been lacking in Nationals first term.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:02 am
does this help prove that there is room for an actual green party? like a sane green party who cares about the environment, but isnt batshit crazy
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:13 am
I also detest most of the Green MPs and their policies but in most elections 12% of the vote would make them kingmakers.
MANOLO………Not much point going to Aussie they rule the roost there already.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:14 am
The only positive thing that might come of it would be the unwashed ones coming, for the first time, into contact with the trappings of power and falling in love with them. But it’d be a hell of a price to further fuck over the country just to seduce a bunch of parasitical hippies.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:15 am
What the HELL is the point of voting against a party – which is way more common than ever voting for a party in this country – if the bastards get a free place at the table because some bugger things it would be good for his image.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:15 am
“does this help prove that there is room for an actual green party? like a sane green party who cares about the environment, but isnt batshit crazy”
Yes. which is what the country needs.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:17 am
“does this help prove that there is room for an actual green party?”
@ dime – no it doesn’t. ALL the parties are for a clean green environment. They just differ in their proposed means.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:21 am
I agree. The trouble with the Greens is that they had the likes of Bradford and Locke whose focus was social inequality and Amnesty International. If they focssed on practical (emphasis – practical) environmental issues they’d get more support.
For me ditching the ETS and focussing that energy and money into clean water and water management in the first instance would see measurable improvements in environmental measures in a short time, after which (or even during which) carbon recapture from smokestacks, biofuel from waste water treatment, centralised plastics recycling can be pursued…
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:28 am
“The trouble with the Greens is that they had the likes of Bradford and Locke whose focus was social inequality and Amnesty International. If they focssed on practical (emphasis – practical) environmental issues they’d get more support.”
Totally agree. As has often been pointed out, if they were as concerned for the environment as they claim they would ditch the looney hard left crap and focus on that. Such a strategy could raise their poll results to double digits.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:32 am
Wealthy countries have clean environments. Communist countries have terrible environments. Capitalism creates wealth. Knowing these things, a rational environmentalist would be a capitalist. Instead they are almost without exception socialists and communists. Are they stupid or just malevolent? Does it matter?
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:34 am
I think the gulf is far too wide for any broad agreement between National and the Greens.
Limited co-operation on a few small matters gives them credibility as people more intereted in principles than mindless knee-jerk opposition (like Labour).
But fundamentally, most Green support (actual and potential) comes from the left, which opposes National. A broad deal would do huge damage to the brand. And it would hand Labour undisputed possession of the role of No. 1 opponent of National – which the Greens are starting to challenge for.
The Greens would never have much pull with National anyway because they’d never provide National with the critical votes – only un-needed ones. The gains from a deal would be trifling – and mostly be things National would do anyway.
The Greens great hope of influence must lie with a strong presence in a Labour-Green govt (or even a Green-Labour one). They should be working toward that goal.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:41 am
Wealthy countries have clean environments.
That’s a bit of a stretch. I don’t know if you qualify us as wealthy but our environment is far less clean than it should be.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:47 am
The Green party is simply the Communist party in drag.
National’s policies are greener.
I shall vote National this election but if the Reds are welcomed into government by Key and co. it will be the last time I do.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:51 am
no no no .. the greens are a bunch of NIMBY hypocrites.
Vote:I would prefer to see the Nats, and indeed the Labour lot, set up a proper green section within the party .. with teeth. The object being to show the public that Turei, Delawhatsherface etc are irrelevant once and for all
October 4th, 2011 at 11:01 am
So how much green leaning would it take for National to attract the sane green vote and expose the embittered communists as an isolated freak show?
Must have at least been considered?
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:07 am
John Howard ( ex Aussie PM ) has said that the Greens in Australia have peaked. I think he is right for Australia –there will a massive reaction against them and the ALP at their next election. I think in NZ the Greens are abit behind the trend –they will increase in Nov due to Labour losing votes to them but in 2014 they will drop off — the world economic situation will expose some of their nutty ideas and reality will set in. Therefore I think National should ignore them.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:09 am
At the moment all the Greens are doing is feeding off Labours current slump. I seriously doubt its a permanent shift in voting patterns, and I doubt their support will get much higher than it is. When and if Labour revive, and they most likely will sooner or later, the Greens will fall again.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:35 am
ross – agree! this is definitely the greens moment.
its also like this – the centre voters have left labour. the lower they sink, the further left the voters leaving them become. theres always gonna be 25% of lefties in this country. they will go to mana or greens. mainly greens as the mana are race based.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:35 am
@ Toad
‘I’ve always opposed the Greens doing any deal with the Nats beyond the current issue by issue one, Manolo, but that statement from you gives me cause to reconsider. At least for a moment.’
Hahaha. Well played. Commies with a sense of humour, whodathunkit.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
I wonder how the percentages would stack up if a poll could be taken of party members and activists. For all the talk of watermelons in here, and pining for a green party that is not left wing, the leftwing slant to the Greens is a fair reflection of all the members I have come across. And they normally have few kind words for National and National policy.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Don’t see anything other than the current arrangement being repeated. Key won’t need the Greens and the Greens won’t want to saddled with Cabinet collective responsibility. Key will probably toss them a slightly bigger bone just to show he’s nicer than Helen.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
Interesting that the three key planks of the Green Party campaign for this Election are clean water, moving 100,000 kids out of poverty and 100,000 green jobs. I would have thought that none of these issues were deal-breakers from National’s perspective, albeit they may prioritise them differently.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
It’s what they need on their way to becoming a second party. Strategically, a cabinet post would give them a very good reason to support National. Looking to the 2014, and 2017 elections; would a Green party that has actually tasted power be willing to get into bed with Labour? One assumes they would not have forgotten how the Clarkenfuhrer treated them? Perhaps John Key is thinking beyond 2011.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
What a bullshit survey, 63% of N voters say yes. Yeah right, was Tui responsible for this crap. No to the bloody Melons,commie fruitcakes.
Vote:October 5th, 2011 at 8:32 am
Given that the Mellon Party has some pretty whackjob ideas and an obsession with spending my tax dollars my knee jerk reaction is to say no bloody way.
Vote:Then I think ok let them sit at the top table and have a taste of power. Clean water and dealing with the dairy industry should be a NZ priority anyway. Let them run DOC and play with alternative energy (and work within a budget!) Mining WILL be a problem, but if they had to compromise on mining to get some other things agreed to it could work.
10% Green vote with 50% Nat vote plus ACT and UF and Lairbour wont get near power EVER again.