(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – National party leader John Key holds the upper hand when voters in New Zealand ponder their options in this year’s federal ballot, according to a poll by Colmar Brunton released by One News. 40 per cent of respondents would prefer to have Key as prime minister.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – National party leader John Key holds the upper hand when voters in New Zealand ponder their options in this year’s federal ballot, according to a poll by Colmar Brunton released by One News. 40 per cent of respondents would prefer to have Key as prime minister.
Incumbent Helen Clark—leader of the Labour party—is second with 34 per cent, followed by Winston Peters of New Zealand First (NZF) with two per cent.
Clark has acted as New Zealand’s prime minister since December 1999. In November 2006, Don Brash—who had served as National’s leader since October 2003—announced his resignation and was substituted by finance spokesman Key.
In the September 2005 ballot, Labour elected 50 lawmakers to the 121-seat House of Representatives, and assembled a coalition government with the Progressives. United Future and New Zealand First agreed to support the administration in confidence and supply votes for three years. National finished second, with 48 legislators.
Yesterday, Key criticized the current government’s economic policies, saying, "I don’t think Helen Clark has had any conversations with the banks as far I understand it in the last week or so. I don’t know whether she understands this stuff very well, but there is no indication she does."
The next legislative election will take place on Nov. 8.
Polling Data
Who would you prefer as prime minister?
|
Oct. 16 |
Oct. 9 |
Oct. 2 |
|
|
John Key (Nat.) |
40% |
39% |
41% |
|
Helen Clark (Lab.) |
34% |
31% |
31% |
|
Winston Peters (NZF) |
2% |
2% |
3% |
Source: Colmar Brunton / One News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,003 New Zealand voters, conducted from Oct. 11 to Oct. 16, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
