Went to a black tie event last night in Dunedin. Not normally my thing. But the cause was important. What was interesting was the consistent number of similar conversations I had about the government. Horror and discontent would be the major theme. No plan for our economy, lack of investment in local industry. Gutting of tertiary education.
I did not feel defensive once.
People could not understand why the government is so high in the polls.
I found it interesting because these are the people I would expect to be John Key cheerleaders. But was obvious they felt there was nothing to cheer about. Or that they felt led.
And then there was my taxi driver. Had never met him before. Couldn’t shut him up. He has done all the calculations on the effect of a GST rise. Him and his missus absolutely depend on Working for Families. They are terrified it will go. Two young kids.
@Clare: “Poeple could not understand why the government is so high in the polls.”
I suspect it’s for the same reasons John Howard & Dubya remained in office for so long – wedge politics. The ’six boatloads of refugees” materialising from thin air are the latest potential example, despite no official reports from Immigration, Defence, or the Coastguard. Children Overboard, methinks?
I believe National’s poll lead would disappear overnight if there was a credible opposition. I believe Labour would have a good chance of winning next year if you changed your leader. Phil Goff is no doubt a capable politician. But he has been there too long and is too associated with previous Labour governments. He also lacks charisma which is a really crucial failing in New Zealand politics. If you leave him there then you have already conceded the next election.
My vote for his replacement would go to David Cunliffe- he comes across as articulate, intelligent and energetic. I think he is the right man to take on Key. I want to see Labour properly fight the next election- not just wait for National to be thrown out when they have done what they wanted to do and it is all too late .
As a country we are running out of time- we are close to losing control of all the essentials like water, power, land for food production etc. It only took the people behind George Bush eight years to finally destroy the American dream for the ordinary person. Another term of National will probably seal the fate of NZ as well.
Deleted. made no sense and offensive. Clare
Phil has had 18 months to grow into his job, it would be madness to start another leader from scratch and the tories would love it. Labour is too smart to do that
Phil is a good leader, I’ve met him and have full confidence in him. With the whole party behind him there’s no reason why Labour couldn’t win the next election!
I do agree with you that National is selling our bleepin country off!
I always laugh with these ‘antidotal’ post on this blog. Everyone you speak to is ‘national = bad’ or things are going to pot.
Yet the polls have them very high with something like over 60% of people thinking that the country is going in the right direction.
Either you are being less than honest with your post – in that there were plenty there that think National is doing a good job, or you must attend parties / taxis etc with a very special sub-set of voters.
Suck it up C hris,
, Clare was just telling it how it is 
Go to a similar event in Auckland and you’ll find it a different language. And, in Wellington different again where you’d think Labour was still government. I suspect there is merit in the idea that people do not perceive the credibility of the opposition because the opposition’s message is having a hard time getting through. And press releases in themselves aren’t what you call getting the message through!
You know how these things work Clare, people soften one way or the other depending on who they are talking to. But there are the seeds of discontent, making them turn into a challenge on the government however is the job of an opposition with message cut-through.
chris, I don’t know who this 60% of people is who approve of NZ’s direction, but I do know the 25-35 year old professional crowd (my circle of friends) are looking overseas for job, pay, career reasons. And the 20-25 year old grad crowd are staying here just as long as it takes to get some work experience on their CV before doing the same.
Spud- I like Phil Goff as a person and he is a capable, experienced politician. The trouble is that the public don’t see him as their leader of choice and they are not listening to him or to Labour. I realy don’t think time will help the situation either. The public, like the customer, are always right in their opinions and to ignore the public sentiment is foolish.
If Labour wants to be in government any time soon then they need to have a new, fresh leader. That will signal to the public that the party is under new management and might have something new to say. Like Clare, I’m not convinced that people necessarily want this National government- my belief is that the support for the Nats is a mile wide and a millimetre thick- but what they want less is a return of the last Labour government. Present them with new people and new ideas and Labour might start getting some traction in the polls. It appears to have worked for the Australian Labour party.
Loota- you are exactly right. People who can leave are leaving. Soon New Zealand will be the domain of business people and low paid, captive workers. Sounds like just what NACT politicians would call paradise.
I thought people voted for them to reverse th ebrain drain, to close th egap with australia… I heard key, yesterday again using australia to say that our 90 day probation is not as tough as in Australia…. but he wont compare our minimum wage with Australia, or compulsory super, or the cash they give to first home buyers or… or…
Who turns out to vote is what affects who wins in NZ. The people who are being most screwed by this govt are those who don’t take a big interest in politics- unless a big event really motivates them. The ones who do vote are most likely to be happy with tax cuts, wedge politics, dislike of welfare etc.. are your swinging voters.
If I were you Clare I’d be trying to organise as big a GOTV (especially in South Auckland) that I could.
@N Z e r – I’m glad you like Phil, you have good taste
The public will have more time to look at Phil in the coming months 
Helen Clark didn’t seem to have a show and was asked to step down as leader – then bam – 9 glorius years 
Im at a black tie dinner for the launch for the Audi A8 tomorrow night.
I will bring it up at the table and will report back – Im guessing that there will be very few people there with the views you suggest.
I think you’ve made your point NZer. Clare
Well reporting back as promised.
Firstly – a great event (and a stunning car) – my wife things its a little big but geesh its tempting – I just have to work out how to get it past the finance controller (wife
). I found it far nicer than the current 7 series that the g’ment uses.
Anyway – at our table of eight I raised this blog post. Not a SINGLE person there felt that they had been led – and all could understand why National were doing so well in the polls (even if they did not agree with every decision – they all agreed that things were going in the right direction). The table next to ours (another
overheard the conversation and joined it.
Again – it was more of the same – not in 100% agreement with Key on all things, but all generally happy and positive about the direction of the country.
A couple commented that they read this blog and found it amusing your impressions about the ‘black tie set’ – The general consensus was that your impressions were interesting as it simply didnt ‘mesh’ with what they were seeing / hearing.
Just come back from one of my customers who supplies the residential building market.
Trade is so far off from last year its not funny. Not one of our customers are signing from the rooftops about the direction of NZ inc.
The ovhelming message I am getting is, “it’s the economy stupid” not law n order and otehr diversionary tactics.
Well, c hris, I’m happy for your two table consensus, I bet I could get two more tables that would say the opposite