NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Politics

John Roughan: Craig's day in the sun may dawn

John Roughan
By John Roughan
Opinion Writer·NZ Herald·
5 Sep, 2014 05:00 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Colin Craig. Photo / NZ Herald

Colin Craig. Photo / NZ Herald

John Roughan
Opinion by John Roughan
Former editorial writer and columnist, NZ Herald
Learn more

There is something to admire in Colin Craig. I disagree with just about every bullet point in his brochure but I like the character he shows as a complete outsider.

Craig is an outsider not just in the sense that his is the only party registering in the polls that has not had a foothold in Parliament. He is even more of an outsider in the media. His rivals give him more respect than commentators and journalists do.

He had to go to court to force TV3 to include him in the first television debate between minor parties, some of which were rating below the Conservatives in the polls. The Nation opened its programme with a statement that made him unwelcome and viewers saw him ignore the host's barely concealed contempt.

He made his points pleasantly and clearly. Once or twice he carried the fight to Winston Peters, providing the only real spark in the programme. Somehow this did not rate with its pundits.

Craig was included in last night's TVOne debate though host Mike Hosking was almost apologetic about it in the Herald yesterday. He suspected the Conservative leader would have "injuncted TVNZ if he hadn't passed our debate criterion [3 per cent in the One News poll]. He got there last Sunday."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He is doing better than 3 per cent. On Newstalk ZB last week, Mike Williams of the Labour Party and former National insider Matthew Hooton happily agreed the Conservatives would not make the 5 per cent threshold for seats in Parliament. That night a TV3 Reid Research poll had them up to 4.6.

John Key will not be surprised. When he decided not to give them a National seat he said there was probably a national constituency for their brand of conservatism. He said it without particular pleasure.

The last thing Key will want is to see the Conservatives maintain their momentum for the next two weeks. The risk is too great that they will just miss the threshold, taking a large number of National votes out of the count and increasing the proportions of the counted vote won by opposition parties.

But how ironic it would be if the bucket of slop poured on him from the far left at the outset of this campaign has worked to the advantage of the Conservatives. It is hard to believe the unrelenting hype of Dirty Politics has had as little effect as the polls suggest.

Opinion polls largely record intending voters. People who refuse to take part in them go uncounted because the poll needs a demographically balanced sample of intending voters. Polls have given us no idea how many people might have switched off politics entirely.

Discover more

Opinion

John Roughan: Lochinver is an issue Key needs

08 Aug 05:00 PM
Opinion

John Roughan: All Blacks need not be sore losers

15 Aug 11:13 PM
Opinion

John Roughan: Let the clean campaign be heard

22 Aug 05:00 PM
Opinion

John Roughan: Internet lowers the political tone

29 Aug 05:00 PM

Those are people who might not switch on again until polling day dawns when they decide to vote for a complete newcomer.

Craig has wisely said little about Dirty Politics, unlike Peters who has exploited the poison for all it is worth. But at 6 per cent Peters is doing no better than he usually does.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They could both get over the line on election night. Given the choice who would Key prefer?

Craig would be the easier to do business with. He might take firmer bargaining positions than Peters but on television Craig appears to be open to reason.

His views are those held of most people outside active politics and the public service. He wants lower tax, no Maori privileges, no more sales of public assets or farmland to foreigners, tougher liquor laws, longer prison sentences and reversal of recent laws on parental smacking and gay marriage.

Peters wants most of these too but when Judith Collins said Peters was the last person she'd want to deal with, every politician knew what she meant. Peters is in politics for his own amusement. He plays games, dragging out negotiations to enjoy the attention and bask in the self-importance for as long as he thinks he can stretch the public's patience. In the end he would want some sort of deal that would enable him to keep his distance and play more games whenever it suited him.

Craig would probably settle for a commission of inquiry into binding referendums on citizens' initiatives, which he thinks would bring about all the other policies he wants. Some sort of study would be needed to resolve issues such as how high turnouts should have to be. He could also be given a stocktake of foreign farm ownership, which will probably happen anyway.

He could do well in Parliament. He strikes me as the type who would read policy advice conscientiously and apply his commonsense. There may not be room for a conservative party besides National to find a permanent place in our politics but Colin Craig could have his day. It could be just two weeks away.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Politics

Politics

David Seymour speaks to media following ACT Party “Free & Equal” Rally

Politics

Seymour wants fast-track law for new supermarket chains

13 Jul 02:40 AM
Politics

Peeni Henare selected as Labour's candidate in Tāmaki Makaurau

13 Jul 02:08 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Politics

David Seymour speaks to media following ACT Party “Free & Equal” Rally

David Seymour speaks to media following ACT Party “Free & Equal” Rally

Acting PM David Seymour speaks to the media following ACT Party flagship annual event, the “Free & Equal” Rally. Video / NZ Herald

Seymour wants fast-track law for new supermarket chains

Seymour wants fast-track law for new supermarket chains

13 Jul 02:40 AM
Peeni Henare selected as Labour's candidate in Tāmaki Makaurau

Peeni Henare selected as Labour's candidate in Tāmaki Makaurau

13 Jul 02:08 AM
Premium
‘Affront to NZ’s sovereignty’: David Seymour v the United Nations

‘Affront to NZ’s sovereignty’: David Seymour v the United Nations

12 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP