Political Editor of the Spinoff, Doubting Toby, and the Political Reporter for Fairfax, Skeptical Vernon, both believe the latest Newshub polls are nothing for the left to celebrate…
It had some on the Left celebrating the demise of John Key and the National Government. That begs the question how a poll that leaves both Left and Right reliant on Peters’ notoriously uncertain patronage can be parlayed into a loss for one side and a victory for the other. Because it can’t.
…but it can.
What Toby and Vernon haven’t been paying attention to are the internal polls TDB has seen that have shown a steady drop from the 50% support for National down to the 45% they are now, and this has happened because the mainstream media has been forced to refer to Labour/Green as a bloc since the Memorandum of Understanding.
The impact of this can not be underplayed the way Doubting Toby and Skeptical Vernon have. For the last 8 years, opponents of this Government have been told ‘Labour 29-National 47’ this has generated a belief that National are untouchable.
That has changed now Vernon and Toby are forced to add the Greens and Labour together, to be 44% to 45% completely changes the perspective and impression voters have of how close the election now is.
The true power of this will occur when the Labour/Green Bloc overtake the National vote before the end of this year.
I think what is happening is not so much National voters leaving for Labour or the Greens, I think the missing million who have felt ineffectual because of the way the media have framed the debate for the last 8 years now see a point in voting.
To be level pegging with the Government 14 months out from the election is a victory for the Left and the momentum that is building matters, but we can’t forget the vested interests of corporate media and the bubble world they inhabit mean they will always attack the people to protect the wealthy.
What you have said is spot on. Your last paragraph is most revealing and represents the actual situation today.
To be level pegging with the Government 14 months out from the election is a victory for the Left and the momentum that is building matters, but we can’t forget the vested interests of corporate media and the bubble world they inhabit mean they will always attack the people to protect the wealthy.
This is why Key ordered a full months recess, the key figure to watch is Key’s figure in regard to preferred PM, the drop has been huge.
Agreed Peter Wheeler. Martyn Bradbury is spot on. In regards to John key’s so called most preferred/popular Prime Minister in the history of polling has plummeted from the unrealistic heady heights of 65.2 % to just 36.7% in a relatively short space of time… that is massive drop considering the media and pollsters are doing everything in their power to maintain the perception of the untouchable can do no wrong John key.
YES PETER
THATS WHY WE NEED TO GET ALL OPPOSITION PARTIES TO PLACE AN INJUNCTION IN COURT NOW.
To take back the half of RNZ/TVNZ they rightfully are allowed to administer since Lab/green are level with NatZ so now so the truth can finally be told by them and with NZ First and Mana/Maori party backup so the voting public can then decide when “the other side of the story be told them”
“I think what is happening is not so much National voters leaving for Labour or the Greens, I think the missing million who have felt ineffectual because of the way the media have framed the debate for the last 8 years now see a point in voting.”
I am hoping for that to become true, but am still somewhat sceptical that the “missing million” will in significant enough numbers suddenly develop an interest in politics and in voting.
Let us see how the local body elections will go, that will indicate whether there has been a sudden or gradual change in attitudes among the many younger people entitled to vote, but who do not bother voting. If that will not show any change, we can presume there will be little change overall.
People have become so depoliticised, it is not funny, it is a real big worry, how few actually take action or seriously discuss matters that require political action and solutions.
Pokemon Go has more followers and players than we may have in new voters coming to the party. The Block excites enough to line up outside an open home from 4 am onwards, I read and heard, but there are hardly any people going out to protest on any issue, be this housing, immigration, social welfare, or what else there is.
Also it is easier to get people on the streets to protest a bottle store opening near a school, or to get people protest for the rights of their domestic cats and dogs, than on more serious issues.
I pray each day, for things to change, but I see too little evidence of it happening, please prove me wrong.
Comments are closed.