Will Winston be back?
October 4th, 2011 at 9:15 am by David FarrarAt Stuff I ask the question Will Winston be back? I note:
Voters tend to fall into three camps when it comes to Winston Peters.
The first camp is the loyal supporters. They think Winston is the only honest politician. They hang on his every word, and will never hear a bad word about him. They believe that the media and the other politicians are jealous of Winston and conspire against him.
The second camp are those who see Winston as a slightly disreputable but charming rogue. This is probably the majority of the population. They don’t entirely trust him, but they don’t see him as different from most politicians, except that Winston at least is fun and livens things up. They’re not opposed to Winston being in Parliament, and could even vote for him if no other options appeal.
The third camp (of which I happily disclose I am a founding member) regard Winston as the most dishonest politician of the last few decades. If Winston said there’s a thunderstorm outside, we’d change into our shorts and T-shirt and head to the beach.
In the blog post I lay out the five reasons why he shouldn’t make it back, but then also some reasons why he might make 5% after all.
Related posts:
- Goff and Winston
- Why are the media campaigning for Winston?
- Key rules out Winston again
- Responding to Winston
October 4th, 2011 at 9:29 am
Only a little off topic David but is the average of polls on the left sidebar updated from the latest poll results. It would be useful to see home Winston First is rating.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:36 am
All I can say is I really hope not.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:41 am
The only people who vote for Winston are greedy pensioners!
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 9:45 am
I believe (fingers crossed) the venal Peters is gone, the crook is history.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Farrar – “The second camp are those who see Winston as a slightly disreputable but charming rogue. This is probably the majority of the population”
I’d like to see some data on that. I would say that the middle ground for Peters resembles No-Mans-Land in Flanders Fields.
Cratered and desolate.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:20 am
A spot-on analysis David! I’m in the camp which sees Winston as a slightly disreputable but charming rogue. I don’t entirely trust him, but I don’t see him as different most politicians, except that Winston at least is fun and livens things up…..
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 10:42 am
The third camp (of which I happily disclose I am a founding member) regard Winston as the most dishonest politician of the last few decades. If Winston said there’s a thunderstorm outside, we’d change into our shorts and T-shirt and head to the beach.
Vote:Could not agree more.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:44 am
I just wish he would go way .. mind you, the same goes for Harawira and his band of rogues. At least with the Harawira lot, they haven’t been before the electorate properly yet before getting the DCM
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:00 am
Those interested in Winston and whether he should get back in would do well to check http://nzfirst.co.nz.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:19 am
I see Winston as the man who breaks the consensus (he may be a shyster but he’s got a nose for the issues). Because parties are at each others throats we forget that there are some issues that they unite upon.
The reason so many elderly people vote NZ First is that they have longer memories and don’t feel they are better off after mass migration.
[Hugh Green, Don Ha set to face off in legal stoush over unpaid commissions]
http://www.interest.co.nz/property/55927/businessdesk-hugh-green-don-ha-set-face-legal-stoush-over-unpaid-commissions
This is the issue that is most threatening to our main parties.
——————–
mmigration and tax breaks for investment in residential property are being cited as the underlying causes of steep increases in the cost of housing over the past decade.
New Zealand now boasts one of the highest rates of home unaffordability in the world as a result of prices rising far faster than incomes, and the government’s Savings Working Group blames that squarely on the policies of successive governments.
Although “the favourable tax treatment of property investment” accounted for about 50% of house price increases between 2001 and 2007, the working group said, there was also strong evidence that rapid swings in immigration brought about price-rise “shocks”.
There was a sharp spike in immigration in 2001, 2002 and 2003 and, said working group committee member Dr Andrew Coleman, it appeared that property prices did not fall anywhere near as greatly when immigration fell again.
The report added that there was little evidence that immigration boosted local incomes. In fact, the need to build roads and schools meant that net migration contributed to the national deficit. .
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/4622459/Government-policies-blamed-for-house-prices
Yet John Key tells the BBC “we are a pro migration country”.
it isn’t a debate we are allowed to have.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:22 am
Anyone whoever ponders for a millisecond whether Peters should be back in Parliament, should cast their mind back to the appalling “King Maker’ days when Peters held the country for ransom for weeks and weeks whilst he decided which party should form Parliament.
I can still recall his narcissistic display when he would ‘host’ a press conference and once the cameras were rolling, he’d pull a red (or blue) mobile phone from his briefcase and pretend he was talking to Clark or Bolger. He loved every minute of the attention and the Country paid the price.
Peters is an attention seeking, untrustworthy, venal, arrogant piece of work and we don’t deserve his brand of politics again.
Reason #2878 why we should dump MMP.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:25 am
I think if all Winston talked was crap the other parties would welcome him as someone easy to shoot down.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 11:28 am
I’m a kind of combination of 1) and 2). I don’t think Winston is somehow more trustworthy than other politicians, but I agree with a lot of his policies and I’m seriously considering voting NZ First, largely because Labour and National have both proven themselves to be lying and corrupt bastards (particularly Labour.) And he’s *funny*! If Winston’s economic policies were more leftwing I would like him more.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
I am firmly in the camp who do not trust Peters. He has held some important portfolios and has been sacked from all of them and has been sacked by 3 Prime Ministers and Jim Bolger when Leader of the Opposition. John Key has said flatly that he will not do business with him because he does not trust him..If only Neville Chamberlain had said that to Hitler at Munich after Hilter had broken international treaty after international treaty. Sorry about that sly reference but that is the depth of my mistrust of peters.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Winston is a great guy to have a beer with.
Vote:But to have him in parliament?? Never on your Nelly, and I’m a pensioner. My accountant once told me, “Never trust a maori in a suit”.
(He was referring to Byers of Blue Chip fame)
October 4th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
I’m in the third camp. Reason #958 to dump MMP.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
“My accountant once told me, “Never trust a maori in a suit”.
”
Which party do you vote for? Why are racist too ashamed to use their real name?
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
“Never trust a maori in a suit”
Your accountant is racist Don.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
“Don the Kiwi (618) Says:
October 4th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Winston is a great guy to have a beer with.
But to have him in parliament?? Never on your Nelly, and I’m a pensioner. My accountant once told me, “Never trust a maori in a suit”.
(He was referring to Byers of Blue Chip fame)”
Your accountant is hopefully retired too Don.
Vote:October 4th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Nice!
Though I’m sure he’s threatened legal action for less?
Vote: