Was 2017 a rejection of the Government?

Liam Hehir produced this table which is quite fascinating. It shows that the 2017 results are not a long way removed from the 2008 results, despite nine year of National-led Government.

The changes are:

• National up 0.6%
• Labour up 2%
• Greens down 0.5%
• NZ First up 3.3%
• ACT down 3.2%

Now compare this to the difference after nine years of Labour-led Government, or 1999 to 2008.

• Labour down 4.7%
• Alliance down 6.8%
• Greens up 1.5%
• National up 14.4%
• ACT down 3.3%
• NZ First down 0.2%

National’s vote went up 14% from 1999 to 2008. Labour in 2017 have basically got to just past where they were in 2008.