(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many people in New Zealand want to elect a conservative government in this year’s ballot, according to a poll by TNS released by TV3. 48 per cent of respondents would vote for the opposition National party in the next election to the House of Representatives, down one point since January.

The governing Labour party is second with 37 per cent—up two points in seven months—followed by the Greens with six per cent, New Zealand First with three per cent, and the Maori Party with two 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.

On Aug. 25, Clark commented on this poll’s results, saying that Labour will gain momentum as the election comes closer, and adding, "I think it’s going to come down to who do you trust the future of your family and country with, the people who have been trustworthy or the ones that people don’t really know too much about."

The next legislative election must take place by Nov. 15.

Polling Data

If a general election was held yesterday under MMP, which political party would you have voted for with your party vote? That is, for the political party you most want to be represented in parliament.

Source: TNS / TV3
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 New Zealand voters, conducted from Aug. 14 to Aug. 20, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

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