Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research

Double-Digit Lead for New Zealand’s National

September 20, 2008

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The National party is leading as New Zealand’s electoral campaign gets underway, according to a poll by Roy Morgan International. 47.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the opposition party in November’s ballot, while 36.5 per cent would back the governing Labour party.

Support for the conservative National increased by three points since late August, while backing for Labour fell by 1.5 points.

The Greens are third with 6.5 per cent, followed by New Zealand First with five per cent, the Maori Party with 1.5 per cent, ACT also with 1.5 per cent, and United Future with 0.5 per cent.

Labour leader Helen 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 John 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.

On Sept. 18, New Zealand First leader and current foreign minister Winston Peters—who has faced criticism after published reports claimed that his party received multiple donations from the Vela family’s thoroughbred and fishing companies from 1999 to 2003, which were never declared—defended himself from the allegations during a public event, saying, "You won’t recognize the image you see here. I have no horns on my head and don’t have clawed fingers or toes—an image you probably thought to be the case."

The next legislative election will take place on Nov. 8.

Polling Data

If an election were held today which party would receive your party vote?

 

Sept. 14

Aug. 31

Aug. 10

National

47.5%

44.5%

48%

Labour

36.5%

38%

34%

Greens

6.5%

8%

7.5%

New Zealand First

5.0%

2.5%

6.5%

Maori Party

1.5%

3.5%

2%

ACT

1.5%

1.5%

1.5%

United Future

0.5%

1%

--

Progressives

--

--

--

Source: Roy Morgan International
Methodology: Interviews with 823 New Zealand voters, conducted from Sept. 1 to Sept. 14, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

 

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