Issue Watch
Track global public opinion on current issues.
- 2008: Race for the White House
- 2008: The U.S. Electoral College
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- U.S. Election 2008 - The Democrats
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- U.S. Election 2008: The Primaries
- Vladimir Putin
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Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
National Slides, Labour Up in New Zealand
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - New Zealand's main opposition party has lost some public support but remains ahead of all other organizations, according to a poll by Colmar Brunton released by One News. 52 per cent of respondents would vote for the National party in the next general election, down four points since May.
The governing Labour party is second with 36 per cent—up five points in two months—followed by the Greens with five per cent, the Maori Party with three per cent, New Zealand First with two per cent, and United Future with one 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 Jul. 5, immigration minister David Cunliffe announced that New Zealand will cut the number of foreign migrants coming into the country in order to stem high inflation. Cunliffe said he has "directed the Department of Labour to investigate a range of initiatives to improve employer awareness of, and access to, temporary work policy," adding, "Our top priority at present is ensuring we get high quality migrants while not adding to inflationary pressures."
Polling Data
What party would you vote for in the next general election?
Jul. 2007 | May 2007 | Apr. 2007 | |
National | 52% | 56% | 49% |
Labour | 36% | 31% | 39% |
Green | 5% | 6% | 6% |
Maori Party | 3% | 3% | 2% |
New Zealand First | 2% | 2% | 2% |
United Future | 1% | 1% | 1% |
ACT | --- | -- | 1% |
Source: Colmar Brunton / One News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 New Zealand voters, conducted from Jun. 30 to Jul. 5, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.