On last night’s double poll: Really, this is not so much a story about the Labour party’s success as it is about the National party needing a rocket.
I mean, sure Labour should absolutely celebrate the bump in their polls, but let’s put this in context. The best this poll bump gives Labour is a hung parliament. That’s a draw. Their big, pre-planned election year reset hasn’t given them an outright win, they must be a little bummed by that.
National though should be very bummed out that it is drawing with a Government many consider one of the worst Governments, if not the worst Government in living memory.
How is that happening?
Over the BBQs this summer I heard the same thing consistently from people who want to vote Labour out. They can’t vote for National, because they don’t know what National stands for.
National is gonna have to start fronting up with some policies, or they risk doing serious damage to themselves and Chris Luxon.
One of the worst things out of that poll night for National was that only 37 percent of Kiwis trust Chris Luxon. 44 percent don’t. That is happening because Luxon keeps changing his mind.
He wouldn’t support ankle bracelets on kids, then he wanted ankle bracelets on kids.
He wouldn’t allow a referendum on co governance, and then he left the door open to a referendum on co governance.
He wanted to cancel Labour Day, then he didn’t want to cancel Labour Day.
National opposed the clean car discount scheme, then they let slip they’d keep the clean car discount scheme.
National promised to scrap the top tax rate, now they’re reviewing whether to scrap the top tax rate.
Luxon wouldn’t rule out working with Brian Tamaki, then he would rule out working with Brian Tamaki.
That is happening because Chris Luxon and National don’t know what they stand for, because they haven’t released any policy yet. Kiwis are going to struggle to vote for someone if they can’t trust them not to change their mind once they’re in Government.
Neither of these parties will celebrate being in a draw last night, but for National it’s much worse.
Because, how do they explain trailing one of the worst Governments in history in the polls?
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and commentator who hosts Newstalk ZB's Drive show.
9 comments:
It is turning into a hold your nose and vote election...
Most succinct and sensible appraisal thank you Heather. Stay well and functioning - your country needs you. It is the whole National Party which must take responsibility for choosing a leader who hardly has a political bone - unlike Judith Collins who does. I f they had any gumption they'd re-group now. David Seymour is l'homme du jour - and he has a competent line-up. Our only hope.
It's all very well to suggest we back david Seymour, but if we want to be certain of an anti-Labour vote we MUST vote National. To achieve this, I have been urging Luxon to publish some policy, rather than holding back to "keep his powder dry". An alternative policy, which most non-Left people would support, would be for National to openly declare it is opposed to all that unwelcome Labour stuff. Luxon needs to clearly state that he will reverse that co-governance nonsense in all of its forms (local and national), reverse completely that Five Waters rubbish, halt ALL changes based on racism, reverse the change to the curriculum for schools, institute an enquiry into the so-called "vaccine", reverse the racism affecting our health systems, halt this incessant support for a useless language via all government departments (including the nonsensical promotion of an invented word for our country), etc. I think it is only by clearly announcing such policies that we can be sure that the General Election result will truly satisfy the vast majority of New Zealanders. This should not be viewed as anti-Maori (although inevitably some will claim that), but as a return to the democracy which the majority of us value. To fail to do this will result in New Zealand becoming the marxist base in the Pacific - is that what Luxon wants?
I would hardly hold Collins up as a shining example of what to do. Rubber stamped kneejerk Liebour party policies on firearm legislation and medium density residential rezoning in our cities. .. not to mention being just about as nepotistic and corrupt as Mahoota. Anyone remember the Orevida scandal involving her husband ..
The trouble with "I'll have a buck each way Luxon " is that he is basically and at heart a woke lefty in the same mold as the arden and the rest of the socialist parties and he doesn't in actual fact represent the right of this country, the capitalism and free market work hard and do well right without having a smothering nanny state all over everything which is where national should be situated. At the moment there appears little difference between the parties in Gov't and those who would be. I'm traditionally conservative and proud of it, no labor socialist govt has ever been any good for this country in the long run and especially the present bunch has created huge problems in virtually every area you could mention. Unless we get a strong conservative govt with a really strong leader to try and walk all the destructive policies of the arden regime back, well I think the country that I worked hard in and grew up in is finished. Seymour and his party are a faintly glimmering light of hope however I'll never forget or forgive the fact he ignored decent people of this country protesting on parliament grounds as is their right, driven to it by the dictatorial edicts coming from the arden regime and sad to say supported by virtually all the parliament with barely a murmur of protest about the undemocratic nature of the ridiculous over reaction and reach of govt to the china flu. Off the subject a bit but who the hell do you actually vote for, Seymour I suppose as the best of a very poor offering.
Mike L….. agree however Luxon is witless. He does not understand or possibly even recognise the mood of the country hence he wouldn’t countenance your suggestion. Seymour and Peters get it.
Perhaps a “think tank” of the three if the egos are left at the door?
I have raised the prospect of both ACT and NA First forming a centre right coalition. If you look closely at both ACT and NZ First policy's they have a lot in common, but for some reason my thoughts at a ACT local branch meeting was like saying the Pope was not a Catholic. Politics is especially with MMP all about compromise. Combined both parties could easily capture 20 plus percent of votes and be a real force to be reckoned with.
YEP!
Just flip flop around and you don't go anywhere.
I have asked ACT several times: please send me your "" what you are standing for and fighting for??""
£ times asking and 3 times NO answers.
Should I really vote for them.??
Luxon is already out of my picture.
Is there any party available, which I know, they don't even manage to get into parliament???
That is the one I want to vote for.
Do they call that a vote of NO confidence??
With respect to Anonymous's criticism of ACT, why doesn't he / she turn up to any ACT eventz? ACT is pretty much the only party that has published policies in many areas, and they're easy to find. Visit the website, which clearly outlines what ACT stands for, which is basically personal liberty and responsibility, among other worthy ideals.
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