David Farrar: Strange alliances on alcohol vote

The House voted on the first reading of the bill by Kieran McAnulty’s bill to allow businesses that are allowed to open on public holidays to have normal alcohol sale conditions apply.

It is a very common sense bill and passed 67 to 54. It is a personal vote, but it was interesting where the support and opposition came from:

• ACT – 100% support
• National – 70% support
• Labour – 65% support
• TPM – 17% support
• NZ First – 0% support
• Greens – 0% support

So the Greens, NZ First and Te Pati Maori were overwhelmingly or unanimously against.

 A strange coalition.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.